Parliament nearly turned into a battleground Wednesday when two opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers Sameer Suleman and Mark Botoman nearly fought in the House over the age limit motion which Chitipa South lawmaker Werani Chilenga intends to bring to the House.
This was happening in full view of students from Chisowo Primary School in Lilongwe City.
The students went to witness parliamentary proceedings and left the House shell shocked.
Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Aisha Adams has since banned Suleman for one sitting for confronting fellow MPs for the third time.
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Botoman has been banned for two days.
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It all started when Nsanje Central lawmaker Kafanikhale Mandivana was presenting a Delegation Report on the Essentials of Migration Management Training of Selected Members of the Committee on Defence and Security held in South Africa from May 30 to June 1 2023.
Suleman was spotted confronting Botoman when the whole House was listening to Mandivana.
The two had to be separated by other opposition lawmakers, who took Suleman out of the House.
According to Suleman, during tea break, he engaged Chilenga to consider withdrawing the bill and that he was surprised to see Botoman intervening on the matter.
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Suleman said him and Botoman then started exchanging strong words.
Chilenga’s motion reads: “Considering that the offices of the State President, First Vice President and Second Vice President and members of Parliament are very demanding and stressful; and bearing in mind the need for more energetic officeholders in the said offices, [officeholders] who can be more active to be able to steer state and government business into the right direction and [promote] meaningful and visible productivity, this House resolves that a Private Member’s Bill be introduced in this House to prescribe a maximum age limit for persons to be qualified for nomination into the Office of the State President, First Vice President and/or Second Vice President as well as a member of Parliament by amending Section 80 6(b) for the Presidency and Section 51(1) for a Member of Parliament, respectively”.
Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda described the conduct of the two lawmakers as embarrassing.
“It is a shameful thing and we need to apologise to Malawians. It is very, very unfortunate because we, as honourable members, are supposed to display character that shows that we are honourable. Even the way we serve our people should show that we are honourable and Malawians can trust us.
“What has happened in the House today is shameful and I apologise on behalf of all members of Parliament— much as we know who has done this, and it’s the third time he is doing this,” Chimwendo Banda said.
DPP Leader in the House Mary Navicha said the age limit bill was not necessary at this time, saying there are a number of critical issues that Malawians would like to hear parliamentarians discussing and that the issue of age limit is not one of them.
Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye told The Daily Times that the Business Committee was yet to discuss and approve Chilenga’s Private Member’s motion.
