UDF MPs face Section 65 whip, seek court redress after Harry Mkandawire petitions Speaker

Eleven United Democratic Front (UDF) members of Parliament (MPs) who moved to the government benches in Parliament  who gone to court  again to seek protection after  Mzimba West MP, Harry Mkandawire (PP) has petitioned  Speaker Richard Msowoya to declare their seats vacant  on account that they had crossed the floor in contravention of Section 65 of the Constitution.

Speaker Msowoya : 7 days for UDF MPs to defend themselves
Speaker Msowoya : 7 days for UDF MPs to defend themselves

UDF has 11 MPs seated on the government side, increasing DPP’s numerical strength in the 193-member National Assembly to 63.

Mkandawire in a petition asks Speaker to “immediately declare their respective constituencies vacant.”

Msowoya wants the UDF MPs to defend themselves within seven days before he makes his declaration on the matter.

But  the legislators are challenging Mkandawire’s petition at the High Court in Blantyre .

Lawyer Gabriel Chembezi said he applied for an injunction to restrain the Speaker from removing the UDF lawmakers from the committee as well as from declaring their seats vacant.

He said Judge Esmie Chombo is handling the matter but asked to consolidate it with  a case involving human rights activist Billy Mayaya who also  petitioned the Speaker asking him to guarantee “orderliness and decorum” in the House by declaring vacant the seats of the 11 MPs .

The MPs not affected by the move are Balaka North legislator and the party’s former leader in the House Lucius Banda, party president Atupele Muluzi as well as Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Clement Chiwaya.

UDF moved to government benches to cement its working relationship with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) whose leader, Mutharika, roped into his Cabinet Muluzi.

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Kenkkk
Kenkkk
8 years ago

What do we call this govt? Dpp ruled govt or dpp-udf coalition ruled govt? In fact the govt is called dpp ruled govt. Udf doesn’t even come into it. The problem is that dpp and udf have never formalized their coalition, so in effect there is no coalition unless they show us the documents to that effect. If there is no coalition and udf have moved to the govt side, then they have crossed the floor and s65 should rattle them. Udf could still have supported the dpp govt on all issues without moving from the opposition benches by a… Read more »

Mwana wa puluma Chilemba

Tsono pamene akayamba ku khala ku ma seats a DPP a speaker munali
kuti malamulowo anali asanalembedwe m’buku galu iwe eti!!
Pamene mwaona kut nthawi yayandikila ya kapeni muyambe kutinyatsa

Mzakwacha,
Mzakwacha,
8 years ago

Go ahead msowoya.U will be the vip of malawi 2019,wamva msowoya?Zichoke mbuzi za udf.Lamulo ligwile ntchito.Atupele udf 1,alimunkhwapa mwa peter qoata system mutharika.Sangatakasuke mwana atupele munkhwapa mwamadala.Muli mabuledi,mkaka,nyama,mpunga,magalimoto opuma,etc,munkhwapa ya amdala profesa mutalika.Angatakasuke ndani munkhwapa ya pulofesa?Kaya,i only cry for malawi.Mzakwacha.Pretoria+27724922299.

nkholo panja
nkholo panja
8 years ago

inu mukuzitcha kuti ”Fwetseke” mukungoonetseratu kuti ndinu a chidzete a mamina mmutu, zomvetsa chisoni kwambiri kuona ndi mbuli zomwe kuika maganizo awo

therere
therere
8 years ago

even if they declare them vacant, people will still vote UDF, it will be a waste of resources here

ndilibe pulobulemu
ndilibe pulobulemu
8 years ago

Malamulo agwire ntchito apa

john phiri
john phiri
8 years ago

Sorry these are real issues, why are people so scared of sec 65? To support your friend you don’t have to move your seat. For once lets apply this law and see how it works. Ndi malamulo awa.

GODFEARING PERSON
GODFEARING PERSON
8 years ago

Please Malawians let us be serious with real issues, we are tired about the same party politics all the time.
Malawians want some laws to be changed which do not suit with current times and changes. It is unfortunate for someone killing an albino to be sentenced 8 yrs only by our courts. These are the areas our parliament should concentrate so that albinos and everyone is protected from these killers.
May be because the likes of Harry has such rumours of mafia so they do not want to be affected by the same laws.

martin kawende
martin kawende
8 years ago

ZOPUSA HARRY NAWE UDALOWA MCP UFUNA KUNGOTCHUKA BASI GALU IWE

Fwetseke!
Fwetseke!
8 years ago

Juliana Lunguzi recently said PP and MCP are in marriage in parliament upon meeting fugitive JB elsewhere. I am petitioning the speaker this week to declare that MCP and PP MPs have crossed the floor. .

juliana
juliana
8 years ago
Reply to  Fwetseke!

Umbuli nawonso ndimatenda oopsa ndipo mukapanda kusamala muzanong’oneza bondo.

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