Late Msiskas Child Arrest Cause Uproar In National Assembly

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.

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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Huge Energy Demand in the Capital City Fueling Dzalanyama Deforestation- Muluzi

Huge Energy Demand in the Capital City Fueling Dzalanyama Deforestation- Muluzi

Government lay blame on huge energy demand in the capital city Lilongwe as the major cause of the tree loss at Dzalanyama forest reserve.

Minister of Energy and Environment Honorable Atupele Muluzi was responding to a question put to him by Lilongwe Msodzi South Parliamentarian hon Vitus Dzoole Mwale immediately after finishing his Ministerial Statement on the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme and Power Shortages affecting the country.

Dzoole Mwale in his question expressed dissatisfaction that hon Muluzi in his Statement failed to explicitly outline strategies put in place in ending massive deforestation being perpetrated by charcoal and wood fuel businesses. The parliamentarian said Malawi is being deforesteted by greedy people who are going into protected areas and forests especially Dzalanyama, and other forests of Chikangawa and Zomba Mountain a development which he said is resulting into among others the recent floods.

“Charcoal burning is a very serious issue in our country” Said Dzoole, “go to Dzalanyama forest reserve, is now bare, similarly to other protected areas. My worry is, if we are not careful Malawi as a country will be deserted.”

But in his response Atupele Muluzi accepted that Malawi continues to experience energy crisis because statistics indicates only 9% of urban population has access to power with only 2% in rural areas have access to electricity.

Specifically answering on Dzalanyama forest reserve problem, Muluzi said “We have huge energy demand in the city of Lilongwe. That is what is fueling the massive deforestation at Dzalanyama.”

“This energy demand is more towards biomass which is wood fuel and charcoal production.” He said

Muluzi said his ministry is implementing number of interventions ensuring that it addresses the huge fuel demand for Lilongwe City and communities around Dzalanyama having realized that this problem require a holistic approach.

“We have carried out enforcements, there is Malawi Police Service, Malawi defense force and Forestry Department. But honorable member should appreciate that enforcement sometimes has its limitations. So long as you have huge demand for charcoal and wood it is very difficult to enforce over a long period of time. What the enforcements should do is to address the short term requirement, which is to contain the situation while implementing long term measures.”

“So long as you have the charcoal sellers who are dependent upon the selling of charcoal for their livelihood for jobs, we take that away, we are creating another problem. So what we are doing as a ministry is encouraging them to be licensed.” He said while adding that by having charcoal sellers properly certified will enable them do their job in a sustainable manner.

“Enforcement alone cannot work!” said Muluzi

He also mentioned that government is considering other solutions like encouraging private sectors to grow trees in some specific areas for providing wood fuel in sustainable manner. He said government has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Global Environment Fund within this intervention.

Muluzi who emphasized that enforcement will continue said government will carry on with finding other alternatives on energy demands in Lilongwe particularly rolling out “extensively” Clean Cook Stoves Projects in areas around Dzalanyama and adopt other options like introducing wild animals or turning the place into national park.

He further informed the house that very soon a first time regional conference will convene in Lilongwe where Dzalanyama crisis will be discussed “extensively”