Opposition Parliamentarians Wants Fellow Legislature Punished By Speaker

Opposition Legislature’s Irked by Speaker’s Delay in Punishing Blantyre City Central Temba Mkandawire for Assaulting an Usher

Some of the Members of Opposition in the National Assembly took to task Second Deputy Speaker Hon. Clement Chiwaya over the delay of Speaker’s ‘appropriate action’ towards their fellow honorable member for Blantyre City Central Constituency Themba Mkandawire.

Hon. Mkandawire on Tuesday afternoon immediately the House was suspended for lunch break, assaulted a Parliamentary Usher over a 2015 calendar. The parliamentarian punched and headbutted the Usher, Jones Sabola for refusing to give another calendar.

Lilongwe Mpenu legislature Hon. Leonard Makalangozo expressed worry that as the house expects to rise sine die this Friday, it is apparent that unparliamentarily behavior by hon. Mkandawire will just be let free since the house shall possibly meet in June for another session. He also asked why the speaker is delaying to report to the House what appropriate punishment has been given to Mkandawire.

“As you are aware the matter is being handled by the speaker’s office and the communication shall be made as of what action has been taken.” Said Chiwaya, “So far that decision has not been communicated to us I would therefore like to request that until such decision has been made we proceed with the business.”

The explanation by Second Deputy Speaker did not carry substance to other parliamentarians including Hon. Lingson Belekanyama, a Lilongwe Msinja South parliamentarian who rise on point of order saying “This is a very sad thing which has taken place in this House.” “This is a criminal case!” he added

“This is honorable House, we need to behave exemplary and not come here as boxers fighting in this chamber. And it is very sad to fight, to kick this member off staff…,” he went on “We were supposed to have a committee of inquiry, to inquire on what really transpired for this member of Parliament to punch the member of staff. We cannot condone such behavior in this House…, This is Criminal case!”

“This assault which has taken place in this House needs to be handled with special care, since we are rising tomorrow then we go and wait till sometime in June or July that’s not on, we need this issue be tabled today and tomorrow have a report in this House”

Leader of the House Hon. Francis Kasaila suspended the matter following his call for a meeting with all political party leaders at the speaker’s office immediately the house adjourns to find out what is happening.

No Increment to Deferred Votes- Finance Minister

As Committee of Supply Deferred 2 More Votes on Monday

Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister says he is not going to make any increment to votes being deferred by the National Assembly in the ongoing Committee of Supply.

On Monday evening the Committee of Supply has deferred two votes bringing total number of deferred votes to three following Road Fund Administration vote which was deferred on Friday for having meager allocation.

The two deferred votes are Directorate of Public Prosecution and State Advocate (DPP office) vote which has a revised allocation of K462.3 million from approved provision of K495.7 million and the Legal Aid Department vote which has been deferred by Finance Minister himself without explanation. The vote has an allocation of K210.4 million a revision from approved K227.3 million.

Goodall Gondwe

Reacting to Malawi Voice question if he is going to make some increment to the DPP office vote, Gondwe was quick to say No, no, no.., I hope to convince them some more

Gondwes response is apparent following Mondays Order Paper where Road Fund Administration vote which was deferred on Friday appeared having same figures of revised allocation of K23. 8 billion from approved provision of K25.87 billion.

The Committee of Supply on Monday deferred DPP office vote for having a reduction of up to K50 million. This prompted much debate in the house as opposition members felt the deduction could result into the interference with the work of DPP particularly on prosecution of ongoing cash gate cases.

Members of Parliament for Lilongwe Msinja South Lingson  Belekanyama, Lilongwe Mapuyu South Joseph Njobvuyalema as well as Salima South parliamentarian Uladi Mussa were among the first parliamentarians to inquire from the finance minister why DPP office has been given a meager allocation yet it is responsible in handling very important cases of Cash gate.

Uladi Mussa said the office needed more funding for its obligation of prosecuting cases and therefore allocating little resources to the office will result into inefficiency of government lawyers who may at times fail to attend court sessions for lack of resources like fuel.

Hon. Njobvuyalema at some point said allocating enough resources to DPP office is not only crucial for smooth prosecution of cash gate cases but also vital in bringing back donors confidence.

However, before deferring the vote Gondwe together with Minister of Justice and Constitution Affairs Samuel Tembenu maintained that the allocation was enough at the moment and assured that the allocated amount will not suffocate ongoing cash gate prosecution.

Gondwe said should the department say they want to have more money during the next four or five months Ministry of Finance will make money available to the department But for the time being I would not want to see money lie idle when it can be used somewhere

Only six votes are expected to be passed this Tuesday and later the committee will pass Supplementary Appropriation Bill.

Though the Committee of Supply managed to pass 14 votes on Monday, business of the committee was too slow as compared to Thursday and Friday sitting. This was because members had a lot of questions on how the Ministry of Finance arrived upon each vote allocated to government departments and ministries.