Deliberations in Malawi’s National Assembly began on a subdued note on Wednesday, with First Deputy Speaker Victor Musowa expressing concern over the late arrival of parliamentarians after only 78 of the chamber’s 222 members had registered by the scheduled 9:30am start time. Musowa said the low turnout — representing barely a third of the House […]
Malawi’s Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology has called for increased government subventions to public universities, warning that persistent underfunding is undermining the quality of higher education across the country. In a report presented to Parliament on Wednesday by chairperson Mutani Elliam Tambala, the committee said inadequate funding, infrastructure deficits, staffing shortages, procurement delays […]
Parliament has been urged to slap a travel ban on Malawians attempting to sneak into South Africa for informal jobs, as MPs scramble to get a grip on a repatriation crisis that has ballooned way beyond anyone’s expectations. The explosive recommendation from the Parliamentary Committee on International Relations comes as the government battles to bring […]
Richard Chimwendo Banda, MP for Dowa East, has issued a blunt demand for more government cash to be pumped into Malawi’s police force, warning that crumbling stations and officer housing are putting the country’s security plans at risk. He made the fiery call in Parliament as MPs debated government plans to create new police regions […]
Malawi has just 600 doctors for entire population, with staggering 1:33,000 doctor-patient ratio Opposition leader Simplex Chithyola Banda says killings could trigger exodus of medical staff abroad Health Minister admits she is ‘saddened’ and probing whether doctors are being deliberately targeted A chilling wave of violence against Malawi’s doctors has sparked an urgent call for […]
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation has called on Members of Parliament to engage more closely with their local councils over the procedures required to access the Constituency Development Fund, following complaints from legislators about delays in disbursement. Joseph Mwanamvekha, the minister responsible, addressed the matter in Parliament after MPs pressed the ministry […]
An MP has demanded that Malawi’s security minister give a full account to parliament of how a Tanzanian ship entered Monkey Bay without being detected by maritime authorities, warning that the episode exposes significant gaps in the country’s border security. Joshua Malango, the MP for Dedza Kasina, told the National Assembly that he wished the […]
It was meant to be just another dull day of parliamentary business. Instead, Malawi’s ruling party found itself a laughing stock — all because of where its MPs were told to sit. The Democratic Progressive Party was left red-faced on Monday after an eagle-eyed opposition backbencher noticed that veteran foreign affairs minister George Chaponda had […]
Malawi Parliament descended into farce on Monday as MPs openly patronised Sports and Culture Minister Alfred Gangata, mocking his struggles with basic English the moment he rose to speak. Gangata, clutching prepared notes, inched through his statement line by line. “Mr Speaker Sir, I beg to propose… I beg to present the paper… under item […]
Lilongwe Nyanja MP Steven Baba Malondera sparked laughter in the National Assembly on Monday after questioning changes to the seating arrangement of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the chamber. Rising on a point of order after the House had adopted a motion, Malondera first sought clarification on how long the newly constituted ad hoc […]
Speaker of the National Assembly Sameer Suleiman has established a special parliamentary committee to investigate challenges facing businessman Napoleon Dzombe in his efforts to establish a fertiliser manufacturing plant in Dowa District. The matter was first raised in Parliament by Lilongwe Likuni MP Kelvin Mphande, who expressed concern over administrative and regulatory processes he said […]
Parliament has confirmed that it has no constitutional power to stop the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from discontinuing criminal cases, even after finding fault with the reasons for doing so, exposing what legal experts say is a major accountability gap in Malawi’s justice system. The admission by the chairperson of Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, […]
Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka has moved to reassure Parliament that plans to establish Bangula University in Nsanje have not been shelved, insisting the long-delayed project remains on the government’s agenda. Msaka told the House that construction of Mombera University is currently underway, and will be completed before work begins on either […]
Minister of Higher Education Bright Msaka has assured Parliament that no student will be forced to abandon their university education because of the recent tuition fee increases at public universities, seeking to calm a row that has spread rapidly across political parties, student bodies and civil society since the hikes were announced. The assurance comes […]
The explosive “Black Box” controversy that brought Malawi’s Parliament to a standstill on Wednesday reared its head once more Thursday, plunging the House back into chaos after Dedza Mulunduni MP and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Chief Whip Moses Kunkuyu leapt to his feet on a point of order. The fresh flashpoint came after Government Chief […]
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) on Wednesday held a high‑level caucus in Lilongwe aimed at aligning its parliamentary strategy following the opening of Parliament this week. Former State President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who also leads the MCP, chaired the meeting at the party’s National Headquarters. According to party officials, the session was convened to ensure […]
Malawi’s Speaker of Parliament was on Wednesday accused of playing politics after he furiously blamed the opposition for the botched launch of a multimillion-kwacha fertiliser plant — triggering uproar in the chamber. Sameer Suleman, who presides over the National Assembly, sent MPs into a frenzy when he waded into a heated debate over businessman Napoleon […]
This is the extraordinary moment Malawi’s parliament descended into uproar after a government minister branded an opposition MP “Black Box” — sparking a furious backlash that brought the House to a standstill. Chief whip Patricia Wiskes was on her feet trying to make herself heard over jeers from the opposition benches on Wednesday afternoon when […]