Kamlepo sends MPs into stitches of laughter with bragging of Joyce Banda’s return

Outspoken  Peoples Party (PP) parliamentarian for Rumphi East,  Kamlepo Kalua sent some members of parliament into stitches of laughter in the House on Thursday with the bragging of the party’s president Joyce Banda’s return into the country.

Banda has been in a self-imposed exile abroad since losing the 2014 Presidential Elections to Peter Mutharika and only touched base last month.

Speaking when making his contribution to the State of the nation address (SONA) in parliament, Kamlepo who is also the party’s vice president for the North, said they are now honoured to have their president back in the country.

“Mr Speaker Sir; before I make my contribution on the state of the nation address, let me say that as Peoples Party we are now honoured to have our president back in the country and we are proud of that,” he said while sending other lawmakers into stitches of laughter.

He then continued; “As PP we welcome her because this is her country.”

While other PP parliamentarians like Uladi Mussa and Welani Chilenga had jumped ship because of what they called ‘lack of leadership’, Kamlepo and other parliamentarians had been loyal to the party.

Few months ago, the controversial Rumphi East parliamentarian laughed off the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) regional governor for the North Ken Sanga’s advances to join them.         

 Banda, Malawi’s first female president, lost elections to Peter Mutharika In 2014. Facing allegations of abuse of office and money laundering, which she denied, she left the country, and has not been back since April 28 2018.

Last July, police issued an arrest warrant against Banda, saying her alleged offences were part of Cashgate, a corruption scandal in which senior government officials siphoned millions of dollars from state coffers, was uncovered in 2013, while she was president. Donor countries cut off aid, hampered development in Malawi, one of the world’s poorest and most aid-dependent countries.

Anti-Corruption Bureau said it had no cleared her of wrongdoing.

Banda has been living in the United States, serving as a distinguished fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center and the Center for Global Development in Washington DC.