Parliament to confirm IG Dzonzi, flag may change
Malawi Parliament is, on Wednesday next week, is expected to decide the fate of newly appointed Inspector General (IG) Loti Dzonzi as it is set to confirm him as police boss.
The House, starting its meeting on Friday is also reported going to table and change the current flag and revert to the old one.
Commissioner Dzonzi was appointed as IG by President Joyce Banda last month replacing Peter Mukhito who was fired just days after the death of former president late Bingu wa Mutharika.
According to the country’s Constitution Section 154 (2) any appointed police IG is supposed to be confirmed by National Assembly before assuming full role as head of the police force.
Leader of House Henry Phoya told a local radio in an interview that the Parliament, which is starting its meeting on Friday May 18, will decide on Dzonzi’s fate on Wednesday May 23, 2012.
“The PP government has come up with an agenda which has since been communicated to parties in parliament,” said Phoya.
“We expect to have response to the President’s opening speech for a period of seven days and within those days there are other issues to be debated on. And on Wednesday the House will confirm the Inspector General of police Commissioner Dzonzi,” Phoya said.
Phoya, who is also minister of lands and housing , disclosed that Parliament will repeal some of the laws enacted by DPP regime including the national flag and protected emblems and the controversial penal code laws.
“We have put across 11 bills, among them we will look into the issue of Section 46 that infringes media rights, disability bill, injunctions bill just to mention a few,” Phoya said.
He was however, noncommittal on the issue that PP government was intending to change the country’s national flag and replacing it with the old one, saying that will be known when minister of justice present to the House the proposed bill on national flag and protected emblems.
“I don’t want to pre-empt what the responsible minister is set to deliver in Parliament. Let’s just wait and see what is contained in the proposed bill. There are several laws that were enacted by the gone government, which the current sitting of Parliament will look into,” he said.
He however told state broadcaster MBC in another interview: “As government we want to have a national flag that will that every Malawian should be proud of not the flag that some quarters of the society will not be happy with. As government we are concerned so we are taking this bill parliament.”
The late Mutharika led government changed the national flag from old black, red and green stripes with half-sun to red, black and green stripes with a full sun on the middle.
The changing of the flag sparked controversy among different sectors of the society including the clergy and civil society and the opposition.
Meanwhile, rumours are rife that the Joyce Banda’s administration is positive of reverting to the flag to old one.
This is the first Parliament meeting under Joyce Banda’s regime.
The House is expected to deliberate and approve 2012/2013 national budget, which is set to replace the late Mutharika’s unpopular zero-deficit budget.
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