The High Court in Lilongwe has sustained an order for Judicial Review in a case in which some civil society organisations (CSOs) obtained an injunction to stop government from tabling the controversial Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)Act (Amendment) Bill in Parliament. The Bill was supposed to be tabled during the just-ended Parliament sitting only to be foiled by […]
The controversial Interest Rate Capping Bill, which was shot down by the government side of Parliament and was referred back to Parliamentary committee for more scrutiny, has stirred hot mixed reactions on social media in its aftermath. The Bill was sponsored by main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) MP for Dowa West Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi […]
Dowa North Member of Parliament (MP) Enos Chitatanga has said Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is leaving in denial calling the national football team, the Flames, ‘Barcelona’ when it is having a run of poor results . He said this after presenting the petition to Parliament which he received on behalf of Parliamentary Committee on […]
Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya has unveiled an ambitious and robust communication strategy for the National Assembly which include the setting up of own television and radio stations in order to bring parliament in homes of people. He said the communication strategy will ensure that people get real news not fake news as has been […]
Members of the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and erstwhile ruling People’s Party (PP) on Thursday walked out of the House in protest over moves by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to stop MCP member of Parliament (MP) for Dowa West Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi from moving an interest rate cap bill—officially known as Financial […]
After State vice-president Saulos Chilima promised to introduce a welfare benefit scheme for all Malawians aged 65 years and above once he becomes the country’s president under the banner of UTM party, an opposition legislator is taking the matter in Parliament with a motion to introduce the state old-age pension scheme. The planned motion is […]
Nkhotakota south east MP (Malawi Congress Party – MCP) Everson Makowa Mwale has punched holes in the explaination by Minister of Local Government Kondwani Nankhumwa on the missing 13 vehicles for Nkhotakota district council, saying it is lacking. Nankhumwa said Tuesday that only one vehicle cannot be accounted for at Nkhotakota district council, dispelling reports […]
Minister of Local Government Kondwani Nankhumwa has said only one vehicle cannot be accounted for at Nkhotakota district council, dispelling reports that 13 government cars have gone missing. Nankhumwa told parliament on Tuesday that the government has intensified its search for the missing vehicle. “The other seven vehicles are in a garage in Mzuzu and […]
Parliament on Friday passed the amendment to the Corrupt Practices Act which now means future appointees to the office of the director general of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will face an interviewing panel but the President will still have the final authority on the appointment. The passing of the Bill came after several disagreements between the […]
Parliament has given a go ahead to Ntchisi north legislator Boniface Kadzamira to move a motion in the House to legalise the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp. The parliamentarians said this on Thursday when they debated on the issue. Kadzamira told the suspicious legislators that the industrial hemp is very different from chamba in […]
A constitutional law expert has warned Parliament that it risks contempt of court if it goes ahead to present the NGO (Amendment) Bill in the 193 strong House after the High Court stopped the tabling, debate and passing of the bill. Edge Kanyongolo, a professor of law at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, said the […]
Opposition legislators are pushing for a report in parliament which details corruption at Electricity Suuply Corporation of Malawi ( Escom,) misprocurement tendencies and how Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco) procured gen sets. Dowa east MP Richard Chimwendo Banda said the government should table the natural resources report, saying it is surprising that it has […]
Members of Parliament from the opposition side who contributed to the proposed amendment to Section 5 of the Corrupt Practices Act, saying the proposed recruitment process of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) will still not be independent, arguing it still gives more powers to the President to appoint the ACB Czar and room for interference […]
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Esther Cheka Chilenje has said the High Court order obtained by civils society organisations (CSOs) blocking the House from debating a contested bill critics say would hamper charities and NGOs while giving government control over their work in the aid-reliant country is not valid and cannot be served on any […]
Officials from Human Rights Defenders Coalition say they have successfully lobbied parliament against tabling the infamous NGO bill which they describe as draconian aimed at muzzling the vibrant civil society organisations. Chairman of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Timothy Mtambo said the activists met parliamentary committee chairpersons on Thursday in Lilongwe who agreed to […]
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe surprised and shocked child rights activists in the country when he disapproved a private members bill which seeks to set up a National Children’s Commission to step up the protection of children in the country. The bill was moved by Lilongwe central MP Robin Lowe of main opposition Malawi […]
Committees in Parliament have taken turns to bash government on the proposed NGO (Amendment)Bill, arguing that the manner government has rushed the piece of legislation smacks” sinister motives” in readiness of May 21 2019 Tripartite elections. Council of Non-Governmental Organisation (CONGOMA) in partnership with Human Rights Defenders Forum (HRDC) on Tuesday held a lobbying meeting […]
Malawi Parliament has recommended for a more powerful Tobacco Control Commission to regulate the growth and trading of tobacco and that leaf buyers should stop growing the country’s gold leaf. Parliamentary Committee chairman on Agriculture Joseph Chidanti Malunga said this in the 193 strong House on Tuesday when he presented a report on Tobacco industry […]