Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ralph Kasambara, has said President Joyce Banda is not party to the debate on implementation of Section 65 of the Malawi Constitution which regulates movement of legislators in Parliament. Kasambara was speaking as a panellist at Mzuzu University during a public discussion organized by the Youth Association for Democracy […]
The adage which says that ‘no condition is permanent’ makes a lot of sense especially when one looks at governance. Whether one talks about the recent Arab uprising in north Africa or the change of government in Malawi, they both stand as examples that no condition is permanent. Having said the above, it is surprising […]
Two youth activists in Mzuzu on Thursday marched from Katoto to Mzuzu City Council Offices to deliver a petition asking Speaker of Parliament, Henry Chimunthu Banda, to immediately step down “to pave way for new democratic thinking in the National Assembly” over Section 65 saga. But the Speaker’s office said they will respond once they […]
As Malawi commemorates our 48th Independence Anniversary, we look back with pride to the positive contributions that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has made to the economic, social and political landscape in Malawi between 2005 and 2011. DPP also considers 2012 as significant and unforgettable in many ways as it is also the year when the nation lost its beloved leader Ngwazi Professor Bingu Wa […]
The unnecessary controversy arising because some covetous parliamentarians, contrary to Section 65 of the Constitution, crossed the floor is unsettling. This, if our young democracy is to grow, is supposed to be a straight-forward issue. The way forward is simple. On constitutional and moral grounds and for the sake of democracy, the Speaker of Parliament Mr […]
The High Court registry in Mzuzu has granted another injunction restraining Speaker of Parliament, Henry Chimunthu Banda, from applying anti- defection law Section 65. High Court in Lilongwe stopped Speaker from making a ruling against 46 MPs deemed to have crossed the floor as per the dictates of Section 65 of the Constitution. Ntcheu West […]
Head of rights group Civic and Political Space Platform, Billy Mayaya, has said the statement by President Joyce Banda that the defection law, Section 65, could have negative economic repercussions on the people of Malawi is applied is regrettable. Electoral Commission says it would need K4.6 billion to conduct by-elections in 31 constituencies and another K225 […]
The Speaker shall declare vacant the seat of any member of the National Assembly who was, at the time of his or her election, a member of one political party represented in the National Assembly, other than by that member alone but who has voluntarily ceased to be a member of that party and has […]
Malawi President Joyce Banda says she does not have K4.6 billion to fund by-elections if Speaker of Parliament apply of Section 65 of the Constitution. To declare vacant seats of prostituting MPs. Banda made remarks at Chikoko Bay State Lodge when she met villagers around the lodge on Sunday. Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it […]
Malawi’s vice president Khumbo Kachali recently warned that there was a price to pay for those members of parliament advocating for evocation of section 65, which would mean that the Speaker of the house declare vacant seats of parliamentarians that have left Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and join the ruling People’s Party (PP). However, Kachali’s […]
Lawyer John Gift Mwakwawa has just reminded the nation of the constitutional integrity of Section 65. It is a well established fact, that the DPP of the late Bingu Mutharika manipulated the constitutional channels to render this Section almost useless. The Section is very clear when it comes to MPs who ‘cross the floor’, which […]
Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda has demanded a written apology from Mwanza Central MP Nicholas Dausi for saying he [Speaker] read out names of DPP MPs who defected to Peoples Party. Chimunthu Banda argues that Dausi misquoted him because he did not read out names of MPs who defected to PP. The Speaker is […]
Malawi Law Society president John Gift Mwankhwawa has warned that failure by Speaker of Parliament to apply the anti-defection law Section 65 risks Malawi turning into a one party state in future. They persuade Speaker, Henry Chimunthu Banda, to invoke Section 65 at a time when over two thirds of the Members of Parliament have […]
The opposing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) heavy from Section 65 ruling restraint bitterness, plans to foil the winding up speech by Finance Minister Dr. Ken Lipenga through a court injunction later this week. A high profile DPP team over the weekend hatched the plans to obtain a stay on an earlier injunction by youthful legislator […]
Section 65 of the Constitution, which prohibits defections by MPs without seeking fresh electoral mandate, deserves full implementation whether it favours the government of the day or not; not merely because it forms part of the supreme law of the land, but also because it is an important building block of our young democracy. The […]
MPs who are alleged to have crossed the floor after ditching the parties that sponsored them still continue to enjoy a temporary relief from the courts as a deputy minister has obtained an injunction to prevent the Speaker from declaring their seats vacant. Attorney General and Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara. who is government’s legal […]
Former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it is taking the Speaker’s ruling on section 65 to court to challenge it. Speaker of the National Assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda has thrown out DPP petitions on Section 65 as the party is pushing to have almost 40 members of parliament thrown out of the House for […]
Malawi’s former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers and their leaders Peter Mutharika and George Chaponda on Thursday walked out of Parliament in protest against Speaker Henry Chimunthu Banda’s determination on Section 65 petitions. The Speaker dismissed the Petition and asked DPP to first bring objective evidence on whether their members have indeed crossed the […]