By Pemphero Malimba:
President Lazarus Chakwera has not pended his signature on the Cannabis Regulations, popularly known as the Chamba Bill, which Parliament passed in March this year.
According to sources, the President has sent back the bill to Parliament, saying there is a need for thorough consultations before it can be assented to.
Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye confirmed in an interview Tuesday that the President has assented to 12 bills except the Chamba Bill, which seeks to legalise local chamba for commercial purposes.
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“The President has assented to [the] Competition and Fair Trading, Older Persons, Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Amendment, NBS Bank plc and National Bank of Malawi plc (Lake Malawi Water Supply Project) Loan (Authorisation) (Amendment) and some bills. The Cannabis Regulations Bill is not on the list,” Mwenye said.
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Other sources at Parliament have told us that the President wants thorough consultations done on the bill.
The sources further indicated that the President’s decision has come after some pastors in the country persuaded him not to assent to the bill, arguing that consultations were not thorough.
“The pastors, through the Public Affairs Committee, sent the President a letter requesting him not to assent to the bill. So, they pleaded with him not to assent to the bill.
“In their opinion, Parliament rushed the bill,” said the source.
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Archbishop Mark Kambalazaza, who is the chairperson for the Evangelical Association of Malawi, confirmed that pastors sent the President a letter registering their concerns on the bill.
“We indeed, through Pac, penned the President on the matter and hearing news that he hasn’t assented to the bill makes us happy. That’s wisdom and churches appreciate that very much,” Kambalazaza said.
On March 28 this year, the day the bill got lawmakers’ nod, Justice Minister Titus Mvalo stood in the House and requested that the bill be referred to the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament for further consultations before passing it.
“I am proposing that the bill be referred to the Legal Affairs Committee for further scrutiny and consultations,” Mvalo said.
However, owner of the Private Member’s Bill Peter Dimba insisted that Parliament had to proceed with passing the bill, arguing that the committee already scrutinised it on the same day.
“The committee has already gone through the consultation process. So, let’s proceed,” the Lilongwe South legislator is on record to have said.
When contacted for a comment yesterday, Dimba said he respects the decision made by the President.
“I cannot question the decision of the President. I trust his judgement on the matter,” Dimba said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers walked out of the House when the bill was being passed. They were ostensibly not in agreement with the House’s decision to pass the bill, saying the bill was being rushed.
The members, led by their former leader in Parliament Mary Navicha, walked out in protest, such that the bill was passed without the apparent support of DPP lawmakers.
DPP’s spokesperson on legal matters Yusuf Nthenda told The Daily Times that DPP had been vindicated.
“We said it. This bill needs thorough consultations before it is made law. There is a need for thorough consultations with all stakeholders but, sometimes, we question the government’s seriousness when they bring bills like these. They often push them through without proper consultations, relying on their parliamentary majority,” Nthenda said.
Nthenda has since commended Chakwera for not assenting to the bill.
“I thank the President for not signing it into law. This gives us a chance to consult with stakeholders and gather input before the bill is passed again in Parliament,” Nthenda said.
