By Mercy Matonga:
Speaker of Parliament Sammer Suleman has warned that he will not hesitate to dismiss lazy chairpersons of parliamentary committees, saying all committees must fulfil their constitutional duty of ensuring accountability and oversight in the use of public resources.
Speaking in Lilongwe Monday during the opening of an orientation session for Members of Parliament on parliamentary committees, Suleman said the new leadership in Parliament is determined to restore integrity and seriousness to committee work.
“Without effective committees, oversight becomes shallow; without oversight, governance drifts into opacity; and without transformative governance, people’s aspirations are undermined,” Suleman said.
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The Speaker also said that committees are not ceremonial bodies but a vital mechanism for providing checks and balances in governance.
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“Through committees, Parliament ensures that no public kwacha is wasted, no policy escapes scrutiny and no citizen’s voice is ignored.
Oversight, therefore, is not an act of confrontation; it is an act of protection: protecting democracy, protecting taxpayers and protecting the integrity of our governance system,” Suleman said.
On his part, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative, Chika Aniekwe, said democracy is not just about debate but about action that improves people’s lives.
“The effectiveness of Parliament depends greatly on the effectiveness of its committees. So, Honourable Members, you are the wheel and tyres of Parliament, the foundation upon which Parliament will stand or fail,” Aniekwe said.
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He also urged legislators to make parliamentary committees a platform for meaningful engagement and tangible outcomes that respond to citizens’ needs.
UNDP is a key partner of Malawi Parliament, providing both technical and, in some cases, financial support as part of its wider governance and development programmes in Malawi.
President Peter Mutharika officially opened the 52nd Session of Parliament last Friday
