Suleman dismisses Speaker’s query, vows: “I will continue exposing wrongs in Chakwera Govt.”
Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture chairperson Sameer Suleman has firmly rejected a request from Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Gotani-Hara to explain his unannounced visit to the Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM), calling it unnecessary and misaligned with the duties of a Member of Parliament.
In a bold response, Suleman accused the Speaker of ignoring the essential oversight role of MPs and sided with Malawians demanding accountability. “The Speaker knows what my role as an MP entails. I expected her to educate the SFFRFM CEO on this instead of entertaining trivial complaints,” Suleman said in an interview.
The dispute stems from a December 20 letter from the Speaker requesting Suleman to justify his unannounced visit to the SFFRFM, which Chief Executive Officer Richard Chikunkhuzeni claimed violated protocol by involving journalists. Suleman dismissed the CEO’s concerns, arguing his visit exposed inefficiencies critical to the distribution of Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) fertilizer.
“My constituents asked me to investigate the delays in AIP fertilizer distribution, and I found a poorly managed institution. The warehouse manager was missing, and only one staff member was present,” Suleman wrote in his formal response to the Speaker.
Suleman also defended his decision to involve journalists, asserting it ensured transparency and accountability. He insisted the visit was in the public interest and not politically motivated. “I will continue to fight for Malawians unless the Speaker fires me. As long as I am an MP, I will not stop exposing the wrongs in government offices,” he declared.
The controversy has drawn criticism of the Speaker’s actions. Willy Kambwandira, executive director of the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency, condemned the Speaker’s handling of the issue, saying it undermines the impartiality of her office. “The complaint should have been dismissed outright. MPs are mandated to conduct oversight without seeking permission,” he said.
Kambwandira also noted that Vice-President Michael Usi frequently visits government offices unannounced without such backlash. “The CEO’s complaint raises questions. Is he hiding something, or does he misunderstand the roles of MPs?” Kambwandira asked.
The incident has sparked debate over the balance of power and accountability in Malawi’s public institutions, with Suleman positioning himself as an unwavering advocate for transparency and effective governance.
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We need such kind of MPs in parliament, Bravo
All the Government institutions are being mismanaged currently (my observations)…I don’t know what sought of people have been placed in those leadership positions, is as if they have no experience in those roles…such an example would be ESCOM who claim have no electricity metres since February this year and many malawians have unresolved electric fourts right now despite our many reports to the ESCOM. Seriously, it’s annoying.
Malawians needs people like you sir. To stand firm on truth