By Pemphero Malimba:
A dramatic scene unfolded in Parliament, Lilongwe, Thursday morning after Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Chief Whip Moses Kunkuyu sparked a heated debate with claims that some lawmakers had been deliberately kept away to frustrate proceedings.
The tension arose after a roll call revealed a startlingly low turnout.
Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman announced that only 37 members were present in the chamber out of more than 200 MPs in the National Assembly.
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Kunkuyu then stood and alleged that some MPs had been “locked up” at Mtunthama State Lodge in Lilongwe to prevent certain business from being tabled.
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“Rumours are that some members have been locked up somewhere in a bid to block certain business from being brought to the flow,” Kunkuyu said.
His remarks immediately drew a sharp response from Lands Minister Chimwemwe Chipungu, who demanded proof.
“To say some members have been locked up is [insinuating that there is] a [certain] form of captivity. We need the chief whip to provide us with evidence [to support his claims],” Chipungu said.
Pressed for clarification, Kunkuyu softened his statement, conceding that his remarks were based on unverified information.
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“I should not use ‘locked up’; I should say it’s a rumour that they are locked up at Mtunthama Residence,” he said.
Suleman quickly ruled out further discussions on the matter, stressing that Parliament could not act on speculation.
“Unfortunately, we can’t be working on rumours. I thought the whip might have had [tangible] information on this matter,” he said.
The opposition benches, however, insisted they had evidence to support the claims.
Dedza Kasina MP Joshua Malanga proceeded to read out a text message allegedly sent by one of the MPs said to have been confined.
But Deputy Leader of the House and Minister of Information Shadric Namalomba objected, arguing that it was procedurally irregular to present such evidence to the chamber.
The dramatic exchange comes amid ongoing concerns about absenteeism in Parliament.
Just earlier this week on Tuesday, only 71 MPs attended proceedings, while 159 were absent.
The trend has already drawn warnings from First Deputy Speaker Victor Musowa, who cautioned that the Speaker’s office would begin deducting allowances from MPs absent without explanation.
Parliamentary deliberations are expected to resume this morning, amid heightened scrutiny over attendance and growing political tensions within the House.
In another development, parliamentary deliberations were adjourned early to allow representatives of both the opposition and the government side to meet with President Peter Mutharika and discuss the future of the Constitutional Amendment Bill (CDF Bill).
Earlier in the House, Suleman dismissed a motion by Mzimba South parliamentarian Emmanuel Jere Chambulanyina, who sought to have the bill re-tabled through its inclusion on the Order Paper.
The bill, which aims to enshrine the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in the Constitution, was recently passed by Parliament but had its assent withheld by Mutharika.
In his ruling, Suleman said the motion had not followed proper parliamentary procedures.
“According to the motion seeking to introduce the bill by the way of supplementary order paper without the approval of the Business Committee and without compliance with the procedural requirement of the standing orders was and is irregular and cannot be admitted by my office,” he said.
This prompted Lilongwe Nyanja MP Steven Malondera to ask for an early adjournment of Parliament to enable both sides of the House to deliberate on the need to engage Mutharika on the matter.
“Our interest is to ensure that controlling officers are doing things [in an] orderly [manner],” he said.
Suleman subsequently adjourned the House to today.
