Kamlepo warns of tribal war of words: ‘Malawi belongs to all of us’

Rumphi East legislator Kamlepo Kalua (People’s Party-PP) has warned that tribes might evolve into unarmed militias if politicians continue to make tribal war or words.

Kalua said in Parliament as some legislators are accusing each other on tribal lines.

“Madam Speaker, I also fought for multiparty democracy in this country. I did not anticipate that one day I will listen to an argument in this House that the fight that is there is between the Chewas and the Lhomwes,” said Kalua.

“I did not anticipate that because Malawi belongs to all of us. We are all one whether you are from the south, east, lower shire, north or central region.”

Kalua called on legislators to  discuss national development  in the august House and not tribal issues.

“Talking about tribal issues might generate something that will be uncontrollable. So, I am asking your office [Speaker]  whether this is the place to talk about Chewa, Lhomwe, Tonga or Ngoni. Please our language should be that of national development,” he said.

His comments were made when  earlier  Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi accused the  opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP)  of ethnic cleansing in post-elections protests.

Dausi  made the claims while delivering a ministerial statement on political violence and its effects on socio-economic development.

MCP has been holding protests following the announcement of presidential results last month.

The party’s president Lazarus Chakwera and UTM Party president Saulos Chilima have  filed for nullification of the presidential election results in court.

MCP took its resistance to President Peter Mutharika’s legitimacy to another level on Friday when its legislators attempted to block the President from delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament.

The legislators later walked out in protest and the party, which has the second highest number of members of Parliament, has refused to nominate a Leader of Opposition in Parliament.