DPP wants MCP punished over racist slurs: MP Bisnowaty pens Speaker

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) wants  National Assembly Speaker-Richard Msowoya to take action on discriminatory and racist remarks Malawi Congress Party (MPC) legislators made against independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe City Centre Constituency, David Yakov Bisnowaty  in the House.

DPP parliamentary chief whip an acting leader of the House, Henry Mussa, said on Monday that he will “pursue” the matter with Business Committee of Parliament to ensure action is taken.

According to except from the parliamentary Hansard (printed remarks or contributions legislators make in Parliament) dated November 19, 2015, Chiga 18, Tape No.6, time 2:04pm, shows that Bisnowaty rose on point of order on MCP’s Lilongwe North East, Maxwell Thyolera remarks saying during Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda rule there was no hunger.

Bisnowaty disputed this, saying hunger was there but under dictatorship it was not reported.

His remarks irked MCP MP Alekeni Menyani who hurled the racist slurs.

“Mr. Second Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are not going to take that from imported leaders. We as Malawi Congress Party would like to respond that. Since when did he become Malawian if I may ask? Because he came to Parliament on foreign passport. If he has become Malawian it is only today. Even people of his constituency are complaining because they do not see him anymore. He has run away from the constituency and he is here disputing facts that everybody knows are true. Where was he that time”, fumed Menyani who is also MCP Director of Public Relations.

“Myuda uzipita iwe (This Jewish has to go back home).Uyu watiyamba dala uyu (He has provoked us). Ndizimene anakukuuza a DPP zimenezo, ala?(Is this what DPP has sent you say, this is stupid), Alibe mudzi uyu, alibe munda (He doesn’t a village and even a farm or garden). Akuchita chiyani kuno (What is he doing here in Malawi)? Mbava izipita kwawo iyi (This thief has to go back home). Amako anayikidwa kuti iweyo (Where was your mother buried)? Ungaloze manda wa atate ako iwe (Can you identified the graveyard of your parents?) Ndimangofuna ndimuuze kuti alie manda a mbuye ake kuno,amachita mwano ameneyu (I wanted to remind him that he doesn’t have a farm land for his parents here, he is always rude to us)”, concludes discriminatory and racist remarks MCP legislators made against Bisnowaty.

Mussa told Capital Radio ‘Daybreak Malawi’ program on Monday that the MCP rants were “unfortunate racist remarks.”

He said: “I will purse this matters to the business committee.”

Rumphi East Peoples Party (PP) outspoken legislator Kamlepo Kalua also condemned the racist remarks as “unfortunate and unconstitutional.”

“Sometimes I do understand the anger but you don’t need to go to the extreme,” Kalua said.

Meanwhile, Bisnowaty has penned the Speaker Richard Msowoya to take action, describing the racist remarks as illegal and unacceptable in the modern civilized world.

In his letter dated on November 20, 2015 addressing to the Speaker which is also available Nyasa Times, Bisnowaty seeks remedy from the speaker’s office upon failure by his deputy to act on the discriminatory and racism remarks.

Bisnowaty said the point order he rose did not condemned MCP rule on hunger situation but rather observed that there was political suppression was an order of the day which prevented people to speak out about hunger situation in their villages.

“I want to protest in the strongest terms against the relentless and senseless racism and discriminatory which I was personally subjected to by MPs from the MCP benches yesterday (November 19, 2015) in Parliament. The racial attacks were completely uncalled for and most unbecoming of an August House that makes laws against discrimination and racism. These MPs have brought this house into serious disrepute by indulging in these illegalities and blatant unconstitutional conduct.

Bisnowaty also complains that the Second Deputy Speaker, Clement Chiwaya, didn’t condemn the blatant and ugly racism that was going on in the house.

“ He didn’t rule any of these remarks un-Parliamentary nor ask for the withdrawal of any of them (under section 103 of our standing order). For the sake of maintaining the dignity of the house, I would like to ask for the removal of these racist remarks from record”, reads the latter in part which the Speaker is expected to responded on Monday, November 23 proceedings.

Bisnowaty emphatically reminded MP Menyani that he was duly elected on Malawian passport challenging him to produce evidence on allegation that he was not citizen of this country and that his constituents were complaining about his absent for developmental projects.