Malawians voted for a party that doesn't care about their well-being: Nankhumwa
Kondwani Nankhumwa has said that it is clear that Malawians voted for a party that does not care about their well-being after witnessing something unprecedented in the history of democracy.
Malawi: Kondwani Nankhumwa, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, has said that it is clear that Malawians voted for a party that does not care about their well-being after witnessing something unprecedented in the history of democracy, writes Esther Banda.
He said this on December 16, 2022, when Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara walked out of the Chamber after Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda requested her to adjourn the house sine die, even though some essential bills were supposed to be handled, one of which was the Banking Act, which was supposed to be concluded today.
The opposition legislators were supposed to move for the Banking Act to be concluded as agreed by the Business Committee, which was presided over by the Chair of the Committee, who is also the speaker.
This all started when the government introduced a Press Trust Bill that was never introduced in parliament, and the opposition legislators refused to proceed with it, preferring to finish the Banking Bill first, which was introduced last week.
Nankhumwa stated that what occurred today is unprecedented because it has not occurred since 1994. He stated that the government's bill seeks to seize the FDH Bank, which belongs to Thom Mpinganjira.
"They were specific business matters on which we agreed, but the government side decided out of nowhere that we should return home without even the proper adjustment formalities, which are the speeches from both sides of the house (Government and Opposition). They are afraid of what the opposition is doing to provide real checks and balances. It is very unfortunate to the rule of law and of course the general democracy in the country,” he said.
Yeremiah Chihana, a legislator for Mzimba North, stated that on behalf of the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), they demand that Catherine Gotani Hara resigns from one of her positions, either as Deputy Secretary General of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) or as Speaker of Parliament.
"She must resign as MCP's Deputy Secretary General immediately. If she wants to keep her position as DSC of the MCP, the Speaker of Parliament must resign because her position as Speaker of Parliament is on behalf of both the Opposition and the Government,” he stated.
In response, UDF President Lilian Patel said that she is extremely disappointed with what occurred because sine die is a motion that is supposed to be responded to whether yes or no, which did not occur.
She went on to say that it's a clear indication that something is seriously wrong because the Banking Act was supposed to be completed today and be the first business handled.
In her remarks, UTM Leader in Parliament Chrissy Kalamula Kanyaso said that as a bloc, they decided to vote "no" with the Opposition because they voted their conscience, which did not please the government.
In support of his action, Chimwendo Banda stated that he requested the Speaker to rise sine die because the opposition legislators refused to proceed.
"When they had their members refuse the proceeding, I had no business to bring into the house. So I asked the Speaker to rise and die, which is why I moved a motion, " he stated.