By Mercy Matonga:
An International Public Opinion and Research (Ipor) report has revealed that most lawmakers do not engage constituents, a development that has been linked to poor service satisfaction.
Contents of the ‘Citizen Perception of Parliament and Parliamentarians Survey’ were unveiled in Lilongwe Thursday, when Ipor Director of Training and Programmes Micheal Chasukwa shed light on the dynamics.
Highlights of the report include that most Malawians are disappointed that lawmakers do not visit them once elected to positions.
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“Malawians trust non-elected leaders more than elected leaders, including MPs. Two-thirds of Malawians feel that MPs are generally qualified for their legislative duties, but somewhat not competent to make decisions that benefit all Malawians.
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“[The] majority of citizens expressed disappointment that their MPs rarely visit their constituencies,” the report reads.
It also indicates that most Malawians trust religious leaders more than lawmakers.
“Regarding legislation, Malawians trust members of Parliament to be the best people to make laws. However, in terms of oversight, Malawians perceive MPs as not fully committed to monitoring the work of the Executive branch of government. For representation, Malawians believe MPs do not adequately represent their interests comparing to religious leaders,” the report indicates.
The report further reveals that 83 percent of Malawians want Chichewa to be introduced as a mode of communication in Parliament, as the majority of Malawians use Chichewa as their vernacular language.
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Speaking to journalists after the presentation, Chasukwa said the findings might lead to voter apathy, as they show that many people do not trust elected leaders.
He warned that many people may lose interest in voting, as leaders seem to serve their own interests rather than those of the people who elected them.
“If people are not aware of how money for Constituency Development Fund is being utilised, it breeds mistrust between the people and their representatives, leading to a decline in voting interest,” Chasukwa said.
Responding to findings of the report, Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye said, sometimes, people expect more from MPs than their legislative duties demand.
“We, as Parliament, are launching what we call Parliament Week. During this period, we will be civic educating people on the role of MPs in their areas,” Mwenye said.
On introducing Chichewa in the august House, Mwenye said Parliament was looking into the issue.
