Speaker confirms Nakhumwa as leader of opposition: Vuwa given marching orders

Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara on Friday confirmed that Mulanje Central legislator Kondwani Nankhumwa is Leader of Opposition after being elected by former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators in compliance with the Standing Orders, the laws governing the august House.

Leader of Opposition Nankhumwa with Madam Speaker Gotani Hara and Clerk of Parliament Fiona Kalemba

The Speaker said this in communication to the House before adjourning for weekend recess.

She said the election was conducted following direction by First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Madalitso Kazombo on Wednesday that DPP should conduct an election and submit the name of the elected LoP.

Kazombo’s decision followed communication from DPP leader Peter Mutharika that Kasaila should replace Nankhumwa as LoP. However, rising on a point of order immediately after the announcement, Mulanje West member of Parliament (MP) Yusuf Nthenda said as a legislator of the party’s he did not participate in the process of choosing the LoP.

In her communication, the Speaker said Parliamentary Standing Order 35 (1) provides that the LoP “shall be elected by the party not in government having the greatest numerical strength in Parliament at any point in time and officially announced as such by the Speaker”.

Nankhumwa was elected with 38 votes against four for Nsanje Central legislator Francis Kasaila, the preferred choice of DPP leader and the country’s immediate past president Peter Mutharika and one vote for Bright Msaka.

Said Gotani Hara: “I am satisfied with evidence submitted by the secretary general of DPP that the party has fulfilled the requirement in electing leader of opposition.

“I am pleased to officially announce that Kondwani Nankhumwa is the leader of oppositions.”

In terms of removal, Standing Order 36 says the LoP may be removed by the opposition side in Parliament “through a caucus of all members of the opposition side”

Gotani-Hara also cited a court authority in 2009, in which Justice of Appeal Rezine Mzikamanda, then a judge of the High Court, restored John Tembo as the LoP after Dowa legislator Abel Kayembe had claimed to have been endorsed by Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

This occurred in the administration of DPP under former president Bingu wa Mutharika (deceased).

Meanwhile, DPP chief whip and MP for Nkhatabay Central Vuwa Kaunda was Friday morning kicked out of the Parliament chamber using standing order 105 for disregarding Speaker’s ruling.

Vuwa was reacting to sentiments by Lilongwe city Centre MP Alfred Jiya who observed that a number of opposition MPs boycotted Parliament on Friday.

The DPP chief whip disregarded Speaker’s ruling that he should furnish her office with an explanation and kept on attacking government benches hence the marching orders.

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Okay
Okay
3 years ago

That’s the third time the speaker has declared kondwani nankhumwa as leader of opposition. In the history of malawi, this is the first speaker to be so openly partisan

Phaloni
Phaloni
3 years ago

Koma MCP ndichipani chomvetsa chisoni kwambiri. Moti sichikuona politics being played here? Chosadziwa anawombera mfiti mmanja. Has MCP ever wondered why Nankhumwa asked the president in parliament whether this is a Tonse alliance government or MCP government? What made Nankhumwa ask that question knowing fully that DEPECO under Daza was in alliance with DPP yet when they won in the 2019 nullified elections no-one from DEPECO was given a ministerial position? Has MCP ever wondered about the identity of the sponsor of Nankhumwa? Leave this battle to DPP and MCP should avoid siding with Nankhumwa. It will not benefit anything… Read more »

Kumavalo Nsamaonetsa Nyoni
Kumavalo Nsamaonetsa Nyoni
3 years ago

Is Malawi really this full of Ass Kisers? Very shameful behaviour. When did the speaker know that LoP is not appointed by president of a party? She accepted Nakhumwa who by his own words said he was appointed by Muthalika,she accepted him,but when rumours started circulating about ousting Nakhumwa she defended him meaning he was in the eyes of parliament the LoP. So,why have a vote? Had Nakhumwa lost that vote we would have had a situation where there would have been two LoPs,and because this whole thing is a stitch up,the speaker would have been saying Nakhumwa was already… Read more »

Chingaps
Chingaps
3 years ago

Pepani

mmc
mmc
3 years ago

To be frank, Namkhumwa is popular indeed but he is not fit to be leader of opposition. This Tonse Parliament, Government would like to have a lesser LoP rather than have someone for to take them on..

bishop
bishop
3 years ago

aphungu mmalo mokambilana zaphindu alibusy kugawana makondom

Alamu Pumani Mwakalamba

Nankhumwa will be expelled from dpp very soon.

Mwikho
Mwikho
3 years ago

That will destroy DPP completely, it will leave DPP with old men only who cannot rebuild the party. The likes of Muthalika, Gondwe, Msaka, Mussas (both), Mpinganjira, Mphepo, Dausi, Chimulirenji, Chaponda etc cannot rebuild this crumbling party.

Chingaps
Chingaps
3 years ago

…..and Will form his own party. That’s how UTM was born

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