Ex-Speaker schools Malawi MP on pronunciation  

Former Speaker of the National Assembly and Member of Parliament (MP) for Mwanza Central Davies Katsonga on Friday rose on a point of order to correct fellow legislator, MP for Mchinji East Kayo Zimchetera for alleged wrong word pronunciation.

Davis Katsonga: Proper pronounciation
Davis Katsonga: Proper pronounciation

Zimchetera was alleged to have said ‘healthy centre’ instead of ‘health centre’ while commenting to the mid-year budget statement presented to parliament last week by finance and economic planning minister Goodall Gondwe.

“First of all let me congratulate the Finance Minister for the midyear budget that he presented in Parliament on 26th February 2016, while I commend the midyear budget I also want to request government to consider building a ‘healthy centre’ in my constituency,” Zimchetera was understood to have said.

But rising on a point of order Katsonga said the wrong pronunciation had implication of relaying wrong message.

“Mr Second Deputy Speaker Sir, the word is pronounced as health centre and not healthy centre sir, because when you say healthy centre it means something totally different,” he said.

In his ruling Second Deputy Speaker Clement Chiwaya while concurring with Katsonga’s observation defended the Mchinji legislator saying he had a right to pronounce the word as he did because pronunciations sometimes depend on where the person is coming from.

“Let us allow a little bit of diversity in these issues, it sometimes depends on where the person is coming from. For example, I can pronounce the old capital city of this country as Zomba but someone can pronounce the same word as Somba,  someone might call wakuda as wakudha, Mzuzu as Muzuzu,” clarified Chiwaya attracting laughter.

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master lee
8 years ago

#22 chindere chakufikapo u don know malawi history

Nathan
8 years ago

Inu nanunso, pitani ku Mangalande mukamve ngati mu Nyumba ya Malamulo yawo amalankhulamo Chichewa. Ngati mu nyumba ya Malamulo yathu ma MP amalankhula Chingelezi, kaya chothyoka, azungu azithokoza chifukwa iwowo satha kulankhula Chilankhulo chathu mu Nyumba yawo ya Malamulo. MP yemwe amakonza Chingelezi cha mzake ndi chitsiru! Ife sindife azungu koma ma Nyasa!

Ejukweshoni
Ejukweshoni
8 years ago

But Mr Katsonga why were you lenient with Bakili when he was murdering the English language. He would say ‘ejukweshoni’ with all his big voice of zinthu ztani!

Khondo
Khondo
8 years ago

#20. Ngati kuli mfiti sosatha kulankhula abubu, anankaludzu, amvimvi ndiye alomwe anthu oti amangodziwa kupereka basi koma kulera ayi, kuyendetsa dziko ayi, kuvota mopusa, kulima ayi, mwatitopetsa kapitani pa 6 April

MP
MP
8 years ago

he had nothing to say so he decided to demean his frend too bad

Ujeni Phiri
Ujeni Phiri
8 years ago

Madam Deputy Speaker, don’t mislead the Nation, Zomba has never been a Capital City of Malawi. The first capital city of Malawi is Lilongwe. Zomba was a Capital Town. It was declared a City in 2005 buy Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika. But before that You will never find any record anywhere in the world including in London where Zomba had ever been a City. There is a very big difference between a City and a Capital. A capital is a seat of government office and can either be a capital town, capital municipality or capital city. By being a… Read more »

Aningo
Aningo
8 years ago

I am beginning to call such common English mistakes “ZBS English” because they are popularised by the ill-educated local radio and TV journalists

si mLhomwe
si mLhomwe
8 years ago

How come only chiLhomwe is pretty well the only language in Malawi that does not corrupt English pronunciations?
Even at primary school level, mLhomwe’s dictum is well known. At secondary school level, it stands out; at at university, ndiye palibe nkhani (no argument!) But you never hear them boasting about this. Never.

Ambuje Kukaya
Ambuje Kukaya
8 years ago

Honourable Katsonga should have discussed this pronounciation of words with his colleague in private. I wonder if the correction was out of pride or love…

mzungumbuli
mzungumbuli
8 years ago

Nanunso a Katsonga kusowa zochita…….. but how did he know that there was a “y” at the end? These are petty issues. I have heard people mostly azungu saying Muzuzu instead of Mzuzu, how many people rose on point of order? Mr Chester Katsonga’s brain is now eroded kkkkkkk!

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