Chaponda branded a liar as he denies sleeping in Parliament: Claims Nyasa Times photo ‘doctored’

Wanga Gwede –Nyasa Times

Leader of the House George Chaponda  s not only someone who was sleeping in parliament during Friday’s State-of-the-Nation address by President Peter Mutharika, but also a liar.

Chaponda, who doubles as Minister of Agriculture and Water Development,  has rejected  pictures that have gone viral on social media, showing him sleeping.

Nyasa Times posted a picture of Chaponda who appeared to doze off and then private broadcaster Zodiak TV which was beaming the event live also captured the Leader of the House fast asleep with some other lawmakers including Rashy Gaffer and Joseph Njobvuyalema.

But Chaponda denied that he was sleeping, saying he was “very much awake” accusing Nyasa Times of doctoring the photos.

“I have seen those pictures and I can say it’s not true. Even the people on opposition side are shown sleeping, but I can also defend them to say I never saw one single MP sleeping; we were all alert and attentive. It was a good speech by the President and we were all listening with keen interest,” said Chaponda as quoted in The Nation newspaper.

Chaponda said the ‘sleeping’ pictures were the work of his political enemies as he is being tipped to be waiting in the wings to succeed President Mutharika.

“When you are in positions of power, you have many enemies. I am a survivor, these are doctored pictures. A prophet is not honoured in his own country. Nyasa Times is depicting me [ as sleeping] and social media is awash of such pictures, I worked for UN for a long time and I was respected, but here at home I am always depicted in a negative way.”

But one observer said it is “shame” for Leader of the House to reject that he was not sleeping when people watched him on Zodiak sleeping and that he needed a duvet.

“The ridiculousness of his reply is very embarrassing in itself,” noted Peter Piringu.

The MP’s supposed nap provoked a furious reaction from Malawians who commented on Nyasa Times about their disgust.

One tweeted: “Leader of the House fast asleep during State-of-the-Nation address by President Mutharika. What are we paying you for?’

Mutharika’s address lasted over an hour and half.

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