Parliament bars public from attending budget meeting

Malawi Parliament says the public will not be allowed in the Chamber during the budget meeting which starts on June 5 as a preventive measure against ccoronavirus  (Covid-19) pandemic.

A statement from parliament says the National Assembly Covid-19 preventive guidelines covers both parliamentary procedure and administrative matters.

“The office of the Speaker further wishes to inform all stakeholders that deliberations of the House will not be open to the public.

“This is in line with the ministry of Health covid-19 preventive measures that parliament of Malawi has put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic,” says the statement.

The statement says as one way of decongesting the chamber, the guidelines on the conduct of meeting of parliament during the coronavirus pandemic period provides for a reduced number of members of parliament and staff.

“Parliament has also come up with specific guidelines for the media.

“These guidelines are aimed at ensuring that the media is not only working in safe environment at parliament but is also contributing to making parliament a safe place to work,” says the statement.

The budget meeting runs up to July 24 and crucial on the agenda are the electoral reform bills which President Peter Mutharika vetoed but are likely to come back in the House and passed in readiness for the court sanctioned June 23 presidential election.