Water Scarcity Hits Parliament: Force Early Adjournment

Deputy Speaker of the Malawi National Assembly, Esther Mcheka Chilenje on Wednesday evening adjourned the House earlier than agreed time citing health grounds as taps runs dry at the Parliament.

The adjournment that happened at 18:44 hours left Leader of House, George Chaponda and his fellow cabinet ministers gob smacked as it happened just after Government had successfully won the motion to extend the sitting time for the Committee of Supply to last night hours.

Govt Punishes MPs; Worked Till Night On Tuesday

Leader of House in the National Assembly, George Chaponda on Tuesday forced Members of Parliament to work till the night hours following prolonged debates that caused delays in passing the budgetary allocation made to each various Government ministries and departments.

Normally, the National Assembly is adjourned at 17:00 hours each sitting day, however, this was not the case on Tuesday as the House sitting hours were extended till late in order to recover the lost time during the day.

Katsonga Offers “Word Of Wisdom” As House Demands Loans

Davis Katsonga: Speaking in February 2016

Mwanza Central constituency legislator, Aaron Davis Katsonga on Tuesday evening got a standing ovation in the National Assembly for offering solution that Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Esther Mcheka Chilenje together with Leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera, described them “Words of Wisdom.”

Legislators are demanding their delaying General Purpose Fund (GPF) loans of K5 million each which they are supposed to repay between now and 2019.

The Former Speaker, Katsonga asked the House to find proper forum to discuss the legislatures condition of service matter as doing so in the House would negatively affect the reputation of the House.

“Something has gone drastically wrong.” noted Katsonga then advised, “I think the leadership of on the Government side and Opposition should sit down and look into this matter very seriously because the reputation of this House is going to be negatively affected at the end of these exchanges.” 

His remarks came when the members from the opposition side of the House were insisting to progress with the matter of their condition of service when at that time the matter was under discussion between the Welfare Committee and the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Goodall Gondwe.

Katsonga remarks further went on to plea with the Deputy Speaker to call off her decision that the Dowa East Legislator, Richard Chimwendo Banda should on Wednesday afternoon bring in the House alleged evidence that the Cabinet Ministers got K5 million loans from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) when the Members of Parliament are being denied to get loans. 

“Madame First Deputy Speaker, by bringing the issue back in the House tomorrow, the evidence that’s being sought, we are also rekindling the very issue that I am saying is wrong to be discussed on the floor of the House” he said and further advised the Deputy Speaker to find different approach of concluding the matter

“Thanks for the words of wisdom.” replied Deputy Speaker while sustaining the point of order of Katsonga

“Honorable members, its high time that we listen to words of wisdom as stated by the member for Mwanza Central.” pleaded Chilenje who called on the House not to waste time discussing their condition of service in the House but instead focus on the issues of national interest 

“Indeed something has gone out of order.” She concurred, “I would want to plead with the leadership to find the way of resolving these issues and not in the House. This is totally out of order and am ruling the whole House Out of Order for discussing these issues” she concluded the matter

However, this winding up of the matter failed to calm down the situation as others suggested the suspension of the House to allow leadership to discuss on the matter. When tensions increased further in the House, Deputy Speaker suspended the proceedings for 30 minutes to allow the members to sober up. 

Immediately the House resumed sitting, Leader of Opposition, Lazarus Chakwera offered words of reconciliation which was in total agreement to earlier point raised by the legislator for Mwanza Central. 

He said the manner in which the matter was being deliberated in the House nobody is going to win and it will only bring chaos in the House.

“I want to appeal like the former speaker, Mwanza Central stated. I know that wisdom is not monopoly of anyone. But, I would appeal that such matters has have preoccupied us, which matter should not even be on the floor of this House, should be dealt with in the manner in which it was prescribed.

The Opposition Leader urged members never to debate issues concerning conditions of service on the floor and that any member requiring such information should approach the correct offices “and not stipulate staff that agitates Malawians across the country against certain members of the society whether they be ministers or parliamentarians in general.”

Chakwera then appealed to all members to proceed with normal business “but those who have responsibility to see through that things are done right should do so.”

Chimwendo Banda Ready To Prove Cabinet Ministers Got K5 Million OPC Loans

Hon. Chimwendo

Honorable Member for Dowa East Richard Chimwendo Banda is on Wednesday afternoon expected to bring evidence that cabinet ministers took K5 million loan from Office of President and Cabinet (OPC).

His disclosure came in the House when legislatures are demanding Government to approve their delaying General Purpose Fund (GPF) loans of K5 million each which they are supposed to repay between now and 2019. However, Government maintains that with economic challenges the country is going through, it will not be possible to approve the MPs loans.

Leader of House, George Chaponda caused hon. Chimwendo to spill the beans when Chaponda accused the opposition members being selfish for their insistence to discuss the future of their condition of service and not to deliberate on the budget.

Honorable Chimwendo Banda then told the House on Tuesday afternoon that he has evidence that all cabinet ministers got K5 million loan from OPC which includes K1 million for hotel accommodation, K1 million for furniture and another for duty free cars. He added that ministers also draw K45 thousand a day when attending Presidential function.

He therefore expressed concern that Chaponda remarks were unfair to the opposition members and had intent to create bad picture to the public that one side of the house is interested in petty issues rather than focus on national concerns.

Deputy Speaker of National Assembly, Esther Mcheka Chilenje invoked Standing Order 102 requiring the legislator to provide evidence after Minister of Labor, Youth and Man Power who is also Government Chief Whip, Henry Mussa, requested the Deputy Speaker to order the member to bring evidence.

However, several cabinet ministers stood to protest against Hon Chimwendo's alleged evidence and denied to have obtained such a loan from the OPC.

Other Cabinet Ministers including Home Affairs minister, Jappie Mhango and Health Minister, Peter Kumpalume threatened Chimwendo to provide “only evidence that proves that all” cabinet ministers took the alleged loan.

As the house was in uproar state legislator for Nkhatabay Central, Raphael Mhone rising on Point of Order brought in suggestion that OPC ought to bring the information of details of ministers who took loans since that is a public document and not to ask member for Dowa East to bring that matter in the House. This suggestion was seconded by the Kasunu East legislator, Elias Wakuda Kamanga but Deputy Speaker, Esther Chilenje never ruled on this since there was no order in the House which forced her to suspend the proceedings to allow members to sober up.

Since Monday, members from opposition side have been requesting the Minister of Finance to express himself on reasons why the legislators are not up to this day receiving their General Purpose Fund loan which includes K1 million for emergency and K3 million general purpose advance loan.

The legislators are mainly concerned that since their five year term is closer to an end obtaining such loan later and with 40 percent current rates banks are charging they will be heavily taxed.

On Tuesday, the House was suspended twice following disagreement over the same issue and Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe has been discussing with the Welfare Committee on the matter.

Again National Assembly Fail To Hear From Information Minister On Late Msiska’s Child Arrest

The legislatures in the National Assembly continues to mount pressure to hear from the Minister of Information regarding the arrests of the Child of former legislature 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.

As the House resume sitting just after healthy tea break on Tuesday, Honorable Kamlepo Kalua reminded the Deputy Speaker of the impending matter that require the Minister of Information, Jappie Mhango to explanation to the House regarding the arrests of child of former legislature, late Tasoka Msiska. 

“The Minister should inform this House about the condition of these children who are still in custody” demands Kalua

However, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Esther Mcheka Chilenje reminded the legislature that the ruling on the matter was already made day before by the Speaker regarding the appropriate standing orders that must be used to bring such urgent matters in the House.

Chilenje asked the member follow standing order 14 which addresses how to bring into the House urgent matters.

On matters of Urgent Public Importance Standing Orders 14 states that “Any member may, after Question time, rise in his or her place and seek leave to move the adjournment of the Assembly for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent Public importance.

And continues that “A member who wishes to seek leave to the move the adjournment of the Assembly shall, at least one hour before the end of question time, submit to the Speaker a written notification of the matter he or she wishes to discuss.”

But the clause indicates that the Speaker may allow any request if satisfied that the matter; is definite, urgent and of public importance and may properly be raised on motion for adjournment of the assembly.

Then the house continued with questions to ministers for oral replies and the matter was never brought back even when the house resumed sitting in the afternoon.