Speaker Cautions Parliamentarians On Commenting Court Case

Speaker of parliament has asked Members of Parliament to avoid commenting on issues that are in court.

Catherine Gotani Hara said this when Members of Parliament clashed after DPP legislator attacked opposition side of the national assembly.

Member of Parliament for Mulanje Bale Victor Musowa incited the wrangle when he said was glad to be on government not opposition side of parliament.

“My area will develop because of the right president and opposition MPs were aware of what he was talking about,” Musowa stressed

Those statements did not please other MPs who stood on point of order.

MP for Dowa West Dr Ephraim Kayembe asked the speaker if it was in order for Musowa to talk about issues that are in court.

The speaker reminded Musowa that it was not in order to talk about court issues in parliament.

However, MP for Dowa East Richard Chimwendo Banda ordered Musowa to stop mentioning the opposition side warning “if he continues they will retaliate.”

Musowa said he was not afraid of any threat and talked about Lhomwe tribe which did not please Ntchisi east MP Benard Chitekwe who stood on point of order against promoting tribalism in the national assembly.

Taking his turn, MP for Kasungu North called the DPP presidency and its cabinet a failure.

Mike Bango said “the country will enjoy development when the country will be ruled by MCP led government.”

Standing on point of order minister of home land security Nicolus Dausi asked the speaker if it was in order for the MP to continuously call the DPP government and its cabinet a failure.

Therefore, the speaker reminded the MPs to stick to the rule of not commenting on issues that are in court.

Earlier, MP for Chiradzulu West Mathews Ngwale asked the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development to tap water from Chiradzulu Mountain for people in the district to use.

“Chiradzulu Mountain has water therefore government should introduce a water project as it is doing in Mulanje Mountain for Blantyre residents,” Ngwale said

He then asked government to construct a road which will connect Mbulumbuzi and Lunzu.

Later MP for Rumphi East Kamlepo Kalua asked the speaker to make his statement next week because he was not ready as he is doing research on issues affecting the country.

Meanwhile, Members of parliament have been warned against insulting their predecessors.

MP for Zomba Changalume John Chikalimba made the warning after new MP for Mangochi East Francesca Masamba insulted former MP for the area Abubakar M’baya that he did not do anything in 25 years.

“If there are no developments in the area it is not the fault of the former MP but DPP government,” Chikalimba emphasised

He asked him to respect M’baya for working for the people in that area who trusted him for 5 terms.

Chikalimba then urged new MPs to take their time before saying anything bad about other people in the national assembly.

He said they should show good behaviour in order to win the trust of people again in the next elections.