Speaker, Minister of Justice rubbishes clergy’s call to pass electoral reform bill

November 27, 2017 Tiwonge Kumwenda- Nyasa Times 39 Comments

Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya said the august House will not debate and pass the electoral reform bills especially in the ongoing session as demanded by members of the clergy.

Speaker Richard Msowoya (left) and Minister of Justice Tembenu

According to Msowoya, who is also the vice President for the main opposition, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Karonga Nyungwe legislature,  it is not practical for Parliament to pass the bill in such way.

Msowoya was reacting to the members of the clergy’s petition that they presented to his office last week.

“They are number of procedures that the bill go through before passed in Parliament. The electoral reform bills is yet to pass in such procedures, therefore, it will not be tabled in the current sitting,” said Msowoya.

Minister of Justice, Samuel Tembenu while echoing with Msowoya said the executive is not afraid of the members of the clergy’s petition and threat to hold a national wide demonstration.

According to him, members of the clergy should forget about the development as government is and will not be shaken with a national wide demonstration.

“As executive we are not shaken with the clergy’s petition. We shall bring the bill to the current sitting of Parliament. If they want to hold a national wide demonstration it means they want to exercise their constitutional rights and we shall not stop them,” said Tembenu.

In the petition which was also presented to the country’s President Peter Mutharika, the members of the clergy gave both the Speaker and Mutharika seven days ultimatum to pass the bill within the current sitting or face a national wide demonstration.

Some civil society organisations, opposition parties and donors community are in support to the members of clergy’s call apart from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

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39 replies on “Speaker, Minister of Justice rubbishes clergy’s call to pass electoral reform bill”

  1. I dont know where Malawi is going and is doing? Malawi MPs instead of working for the people they work for their own. This 50 +1 bill is not for DPP or MCP OR AFORD OR UDF. The bill belongs to everyone. If you dont change these things now i tell u one day you will regret. God can change things miraculously which will see DPP out of power and start fighting for the same bill to be passed.

  2. I had a dream, in my dream I saw the Speaker joining the other side of the coin. The “time will tell” was the song that woken me up.

  3. All along, I thought Richard Msowoya is a principled man, little did I know that he is one of these useless politicians of our time. You can fight the clergy and win the fight. You will live to regret your actions.

  4. How I wish the comments I have read so far came from people who understand how parliament works. Sadly, the opposite is true. So the only way Msoswoya should show loyalty to MCP is to adopt any line of thinking by the party? Is is not the same culture of unquestionable party loyalty that has killed our democracy? So Msowoya should ignore parliamentary procedures to please MCP? Sometimes we should think before we comment or prove that what the Speaker has said is not true.

    1. Atate kaya ndani kaya, There is nothing for M.C.P here my friend ok? izi ndizofuna za anthu osati chipani, kapena mwina kuwelenga kwakuvutani eti? read again and see ngati the issue is M.C.P.
      Umburi wa nkalasi umawawa kusiya ndi wakuthengo.

  5. Read the Bible and will find out what happened to those who did not listen to the voices of prophets

  6. Let me differ with the prince of thieves. Never call the north as msowoyas strong hold. This man even karonga nyungwe is not his strong hold. He can’t join DPP cos khwauli is there already. Mind you msowoya and khwauli alternate that constituency and now I could khwauli only if he is out of this party lead by you. I mean u prince of thieves. By the way are u junior prince of thieves? Forget about msowoya

  7. Its a shame to have Richard Msowoya as my constituency MP as well as MCP member of Parliament. this guy is a fool a person who is siding whith lions and hynes to rob malawians of their rights. Shame on you Rishard

  9. Were the clergy properly advised by their lawyers if it is practical to debate the bill under the current sitting? If it is practical then we can conclude that the speaker has been compromised in the same way Uladi, Lilongwe Mayor e.t.c have been threatened because of their various gates i.e. passport gate, tractor gate and MRA gate. If for genuine procedural reasons the bill can’t be tabled let’s not despair, nthawi yatha kale and these crooks are out of plans they will be shown the exist door soon. Dziko likuona Amalawi tikuona, this is another era.

  10. How I wish our Speakers of Parliament were as bold as the ones in other parliaments. I have in mind former US House Speaker John Bhoener who gave the Obama administration tough time! He was in the forefront setting the agendas and bills to be discussed in the House of Representives! Akunowa they are “lame duck speakers”! Shame on you Msowoya

  12. I am a Staunch MCP supporter and for a while I reserved any negative comment about our Speaker. BUT now, I am astonished. For me, anyone who compromises core principles of justice for the sake of winning political favor is not worth being a leader.

    He is beginning to do things that even a little boy would understand that he is angry and ready to throw stones on the very poor people he claims to represent as often as he gets them. When anger makes you destroy your own property, you have become your own enemy!

    The clergy he is opposing represents the entire religious community in our Nation. And it already constitutes over 80% of the population. And most of all, these people don’t do things to appease anyone but justice. So we will wait and see how this turns out. We are confident on this one thing though: JEHOVAH WILL SURELY DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI WITH OR WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT. MALAWI SHALL REST FROM THE FANGS OF PLUNDERS IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

  13. Are you in a hurry to see the bill passed? Do you know how parliament works? If so tell us where the speaker has gone wrong. Is the minister right to tell the clergy that demonstrations are part of democracy? My stand is go ahead with your demonstrations they solidify democracy. After all many of you here did not want APM to win last elections the clergy inclusive yet he won God loves him as well. JB said God put her in power not the constitution but she forgot to tell us who removed her from power as well and if it was the rigging that removed her from power where was her God? She means rigging is more powerful than her God? So too with you fools 50 plus or not if God wants APM to win he will win and your stupid song will be they have rigged the elections

  15. Well said Speaker. You have educated these ignorant men in religious robes. They think that their opinion is superior. Just wasting time demonstrating on useless things. Let them sort out the mess in their churches instead of commenting on the domain of politics on which they have little knowledge of.

  16. Is the Speaker of Parliament the same as Information Minister or government spokesperson? How come Hon. Msowoya is telling us information that is expected to come from government side?

    So this time there is no speaker in parliament but government spokesperson.

    Remember, cheating is not godly and does not last.

  17. The best decision i would do if i was the President of MCP is to fire this speaker from the party membership as well as his party position. His conducts are a clear manifestation that he is strategically working with DPP.

    His is bringing confusion & disintegration to the party. The image of the party is also under threat at this very critical moment. He is a clear enemy operating from within.

    After all, he is unpopular politically even in the north based on 2014 MCp votes from his base. MCP will do itself alot of good by firing this speaker from its fold.

    1. I agree with this suggestion please Chakwela fire him we even here in Nyungwe don’t want him is doing completely nothing He is useless

  18. Its not surprising how the speaker of the August House is acting nowadays. He knows that his position as Vice president of MCP is under threat and wants to frustrate each and every move that the general public think will create a level play ground for the elections rather than rigging. Msowoya has been inactive in most of the MCP rallies which signifies that she is not in good books with the leadership of the party. If you critically analyse him, he is a selfish person and his involvement in tractorgate scandal made him to rule out discussing the issue in parliament again. These are the people bringing down the nation. Lets get rid of them all. Come 2019, this man wont win again his constituency.

  22. After 2019, we shall forget that there was a speaker from Karonga. Dont try to go against the will of the people.
    Am very much surprised at the recent conduct of this speaker towards Dpp. U seem to toe their line in a very clear appeasement manner.

    Remember youre the speaker today because of MCP & its membership.

  23. DPP yikuopa chani. You rubbishes Clergy really where is this country going. We know your target is to rig the elections but God says know this country wont be ruled by thieves again. Whether 50+1 passes or not dpp you wont rig again paulendo wakwa goliati.

  24. So what will happen after the national demonstration? Will the bill table and pass itself? Shame on the clergy and whoever has sent you.

  26. Thats the executive arrogance supported by the speaker. Why should the speaker preempt the submission before it has even reached the realm of parliament.

    1. Chibanzi chili nkamwa at its best,what is this now………..?//?????? AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaah Malawians failing to answer the truth of the matter…..JEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZ

  28. Such magnitude of pompousness ever happened with Kamuzu!!

    People tried to tell him this and that about changing the constitution to allow multi party demcracy, to no avail!! What followed then is what everybody knows right now………….!!

    If people believe they are too intelligent to maneuver and or play tricks with Malawians, lets wait and see how things shall be unfolding and who the actual looser will be…………….!! Enawa akuoneka kunalibe ndipo sadziwa zomwe a tchalitchi amatha kuchita!! Zoona zake ndikuti Chihana took advantage za zomwe a tchalitchi did!!

  29. Just as expected, this government is afraid of loosing when is comes to 50+1 vote. They know for sure that it is impossible for them to rig the votes as they did in 2014 with the new system. I don’t blame Msowoya on his statement, he has just said the facts but it is the executive that is sitting on this bill for its own selfish reasons.

    1. There is a saying that goes like this;’ How high an eagle flies, there will be time to fly down and perch to look for food because it cannot eat air’1

  31. Richard Msowoya just resign from MCP and reunite once more with DPP. Ndiwe munthu wovetsa chisoni to say the lust.

  32. Just watching from far. They were people who also said so and where are they now. Chouluka chidzatela komanso usamate kulibe mame kamba koti uli pa msana wa njobvu. We know you two individuals that you are playing with lives of Malawians just because of little kwachas you got and at the same afraid of being exposed of what you have stolen from Malawians like tractors. For your information Malawians have already decided and are not going back

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