By Cathy Maulidi:
On Friday, Parliament became a theatre of emptiness immediately after the First Deputy Speaker Madalitso Kazombo’s opening prayer.
Mulanje Bale Member of Parliament Victor Musowa stood on a point of order questioning some MPs who were moving up and down while Kazombo was giving the opening prayer.
Then, Dedza Central East MP Joshua Malango and Ntchisi South MP Ulemu Chilapondwa were also standing on point of orders but they were not being recognised.
That made some MPs on the government bench to start making comments which did not please Kazombo.
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He told the Deputy Leader of the House Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda to ask the government members to respect him as First Deputy Speaker.
“Deputy Leader of the House, can you please tell your members to respect the House’s leadership.
“I am the First Deputy Speaker and I should be respected. Is it because I come from Kasungu, which is considered MCP’s stronghold? My office needs to be respected,” he said.
In response, Chiponda told Kazombo that the government side respects him.
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She asked him not to allow the opposition side to divide them.
“We on this side are united and please the opposition side don’t divide us. Play your divide and rule politics elsewhere.
“MCP is not a family party; it belongs to every Malawian. Please do not interfere with our party politics; focus on your own issues,” she said.
She went further to dispute reports that the government side wants to impeach Kazombo.
She described such allegations as lies cooked up by the opposition.
After this, Chiponda requested that the House be suspended for 30 minutes for the government side to discuss “pressing matters”.
The House went on suspension and the opposition held a press briefing.
Leader of Opposition George Chaponda expressed concern over government’s “deliberate moves” to disrupt the House, describing this as bad for Malawians.
“We are here to represent Malawians. We feel these suspensions are deliberate to stop the opposition from asking about the hunger situation in the country. It is sad that the government bench wants to stop those who frequently condemns government in the House,” he said.
When the MPs returned, Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda also requested that deliberations be suspended to allow the Business Committee meet and discuss the business for the House.
The Business Committee members returned after an hour and Kazombo reported that the members had failed to reach a consensus and agreed to continue the meeting on Monday next week.
Speaking to journalists, Chimwendo Banda said the House was disrupted by Blantyre City South East MP Sameer Suleman’s surprise visit to Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM).
Suleman who is chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture but currently on suspension from the House made the visit on Thursday where he exposed shortage of fertiliser for the Affordable Input Programme.
Suleman said his suspension does not mean he is no longer MP or chairperson of the committee
“I remain an MP and Committee Chairperson despite suspension. Our standing orders are clear.
“Parliament isn’t a dictatorship; it belongs to all Malawians, not just one party. A chairperson can only be impeached by their committee, not in the Chamber. If this continues, I’ll pursue legal action,” Suleman said earlier.
