Speaker’s warning: MPs must chase every Malawi kwacha as Parliament toughens oversight

Speaker of the National Assembly Sameer Suleman has issued a stern warning that Parliament will dramatically ramp up its scrutiny of public spending under his leadership, vowing MPs will chase down every kwacha to ensure Malawians get the government services they deserve.

Speaking as he opened the Second Cohort of the Parliamentary Training Programme in Lilongwe, Suleman made clear he wants a sweeping overhaul of how MPs conduct oversight, insisting the current approach needs a serious shake-up to stay effective.

In a blunt warning to those who might be tempted to misuse public funds, Suleman declared that Parliament must adopt an almost investigative approach to tracking government spending.

“As Parliament, we are not saying we are police but we should behave like police especially on following up public resources; how it is been used, how it is being spent. Our committees should be on the ground, visiting and making sure that the budgets that we are passing are trickling down and resources are being used for intended purpose,” Suleman said.

The Speaker revealed Parliament will pour greater resources into oversight programmes going forward, insisting it was the single most important measure by which the institution’s effectiveness should be judged.

“Parliament can only be judged through the oversight role that it is conducting. It is not witch hunting or trying to put someone in trouble but to make sure that what Malawians expect from their government is well maintained and managed,” he said.

He doubled down on the message, making clear oversight would remain his top priority.

“Oversight is critical. Our main goal is oversight. I would like to see more programmes on oversight, more discussions on oversight so that we know how to conduct this oversight,” Suleman said.

The Speaker described the ongoing MP training as a “strategic investment” in Parliament’s overall effectiveness, designed to sharpen lawmakers’ performance across their core duties of legislation, oversight and representation.

Suleman urged MPs to take the training seriously, warning that they now operate in an increasingly demanding and fast-changing environment, with public expectations continuing to soar.