Parliament on Tuesday set June 23 as the day Malawians will vote in the fresh presidential elections as the Government side cried foul over opposition bulldozing tactics to push for the amendment of an electoral bill on a day for Government business.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists in Lilongwe, Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa said the bill was not on order paper and Tuesday was Government Business day.
He said while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led Government was not afraid of the election, but Parliament needed to follow standing orders to transact business.
The Supreme Court of Appeal ordered Parliament to set a date for voting, which should be within 150 days from February 3.
Government has said the move by the opposition MPs in Parliament to bulldoze an electoral resolution is not significant as the main constitution was still intact.
Mzimba North parliamentarian Yeremia Chihana brought a motion that was not on the order paper but it was bulldozed by the deputy speaker Madalitso Kazombo.
Nankhumwa said that Government wants to follow procedures by bringing the electoral bills on Wednesday, a Government business day consequently changing the main constitution.
“We are saddened by their conduct because this is a House of procedures and we are simply doing so but for them to just wake up and bring something which is not on the order paper is uncalled for,” said Nankhumwa.
Nankhumwa who was franked by DPP’s Director of Elections Ben Phiri, UDF’s Ned Phoya and Government Chief Whip Symon Vuwa Kaunda, said the bills will still be tabled on Wednesday.
On his part, Phiri said DPP is never afraid of elections and people must not mistake its conduct in the House for such.
“We also wished the election was held yesterday but what we want is to follow the law as guided by the constitutional court. But as DPP, we are ready to win this election but without any legal flaws,” said Phiri.
On his part UDFs Ned Phoya said the DPP-UDF alliance is geared to go to the election but is against the raping of the country’s constitution.
“The President of the republic appointed new commissioners less than 24 hours after the retirement of the other commissioners, a sign that he is also ready,” said Phoya.
Adding his voice on the same, Kaunda said section 81 of the constitution directs that the country shall hold tripartite election hence the zeal to change the constitution since Malawians will only vote in a presidential election.
Meanwhile, leader of Government back benchers Victor Musowa has demanded that the Business committee should explain to the House on Wednesday the meaning of the chaos that erupted in the honorable House. –(Source MBC)
this is reverend chakwera ndi nyimbo zake. simwamuona, adzatsintha malamulo uyu akadzangowina and for sure 1 party state or multiple term presidency will be reintroduced. zikuoneka kuphweka pano koma abale mudzalira. machitidwe amkulu ameneyu ndi ankhondo and nkhondo yomweyi idzamupha.