Commotion erupted on Monday evening in the National Assembly leading to early adjournment for Tuesday morning over reports of arrests of a child of former Member of Parliament for Rumphi North, late Tasoka Msiska.
The child is reportedly in police custody for allegedly fueling fracas that took place at dad’s burial in Rumphi last week.
There, Minister of Information, Jappie Mhango was barred and chased away by an angry mob from attending the funeral ceremony. The rivalry follows Mhango’s win during the 2014 elections as independent candidate to oust late Msiska as parliamentarian for the constituency.
In the National Assembly, the pandemonium began immediately the house passed the Estate Duty Amendment Bill which has an element of giving good compensation to the bereaved family.
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| Richard Chimwendo Banda |
Member of Parliament for Dowa East, Richard Chimwendo Banda rising on point of order sought clarification from the Minister of Information Jappie Mhango why he has used his authority to arrest child of late Msiska.
“We are saddened that one of the children of late Msiska has been arrested and Police are looking for the remaining children who are at large. Why are you doing this to these orphans? They have just lost their father and they need to be protected and respected as the country mourns with them.
So, in the very same spirit that government has demonstrated here in the bill we have just passed, that Children from bereaved family must benefit more from property of their parents, we are also demanding the release of the child of late Msiska” said Chimwendo who stood as Chairperson for parliamentary committee on Social and Community Affairs
He added that the arrest was political and that the Information Minister must have information relating to the arrest since him was chased at the funeral of the late father of the child.
However, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Richard Msowoya did not sustain Chaimwendo’s point of order by ruling him of out of order because the question was put to a wrong minister.
“Please use appropriate standing orders” said the speaker before ruling the member out of order.
Msowoya said Chimwendo was out of order because Minister of Information is not a better person to clarify the matter because he is not the Minister of Home Affairs and does not make arrests.
After Speaker’s ruling, Rumphi East Parliamentarian, Kamlepo Kalua rose, insisting that the matter be discussed at length because it is of national importance. It took the speaker to put off the mic of Kalua to make him stop continuing with the matter.
Lilongwe Msodzi South parliamentarian, Vitus Dzoole Mwale also stood on the same and echoed Kalua’s point that the matter was of National Importance and need the house to discuss and hear from the Minister of Information on the matter.
The chaos prompted the Government Chief Whip, Henry Mussa to seek for an early adjournment to let the members have an ample time to read reports and bills to be discussed on Tuesday.
However, when the Speaker put the question as moved by the Government Whip, the opposition successfully blocked the proposal and continued with demands for the continuation of the matter.
Speaker then announced an early adjournment of the house for Tuesday morning after Government Chief Whip told the Speaker that there was no business to discuss at that time.
When approached to get his views as he walked out of the parliament Chamber Jappie Mhango only said “I can’t comment anything. Go and talk to the one who brought the issue here”
In an interview, with Chimwendo said he was reliably informed by the uncle of late Msiska’s children that a child of late Msiska is in custody and that Police are hunting for other children.
He also said he is going to make a formal request to the Speaker on the same matter immediately the house resume sitting on Tuesday morning.
Late Msiska contested the 2014 tripartite elections as candidate for Malawi Congress Party after winning primary elections against Jappie Mhango. However, Mhango went on to contest for the General Elections as an independent candidate and won elections.
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