Malawi MPs walk out of parliament after Minister’s ‘shitting’ remarks
Malawi opposition lawmakers walked out of parliament Tuesday in protest on what they termed “sarcasm” and the unparliamentarily words coming from Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Margaret Roca Mauwa.
The members of parliament complained that Mauwa remarks were demeaning them when standing on a point of order, used the word “kukanyela” Malawi lingua franca Chichewa for “shit.”
The MPs demanded that the Deputy Minister to withdraw her remarks but she refused forcing them to walk out of the parliamentary session in protest.
The row started when an opposition MP claimed that Bingu wa Mutharika administration has for the past six years, been using over K100 billion in the financial plan on farm input subsidy with no plausible achievements.
But Mauwa, standing on a point of order, retorted: “The honourable MP himself has lots of food in his house which he eats and then goes to the toilet kukanyela.”
The opposition lawmakers demanded Mauwa to withdraw the word but she adamantly refused.
Second Deputy Speaker Juliana Mphande then adjourned the proceedings for tea break but after returning from all opposition MPs maintained that Mauwa, who was not in the chamber, withdraw the remarks.
“I have ruled her out of order and she will withdraw when she returns,” the second Deputy Speaker said.
But opposition lawmakers walked out of the House in protest attracting wrath from the second Deputy Speaker who ruled that the members should be deducted their sitting allowances.
Failed experiment
The MPs have been debating the Mid Term Budget review presented by Finance Minister Ken Lipenga on on Friday, February 10.
Main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson on finance, Joseph Njobvuyalema, says in his contribution that Mutharika administration has lost direction and has run short of ideas on how to resolve the current economic turmoil.
He also attacked Finance Minister for failing to insipire confidence in his opeting budget statement.
“He almost turned himself into a dramatist as he almost turned the House into a theatre, and we take this as an attempt by the Minister to turn the minds of the people away from the shortfalls of his budget, to his linguistics,” Njobvuyalema said..
“I view a National Budget as a very serious matter,” he said. “It affects the lives of millions of Malawians, therefore I urge the Minister to take my observations to his statement very, seriously,” he added.
Njovuyalema declared the Zero Deficit Budget as Mutharika’s failed experiment.
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