* As Suleman and President Mutharika had an audience where the two are reported to have had “a very cordial discussion”
* His Excellency the President and the Right Honourable Speaker fully respect the separation of powers amongst the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary
By Duncan Mlanjira
Parliamentary has announced that it will not to proceed with the decision to institute joint committees to investigate several government entities, in respect to the legal proceedings against Speaker Sameer Suleman.
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In a statement issued Saturday, September 12, Parliament states that the decision will not proceed in compliance with the High Court order issued on September 4, two days after the Speaker announced the decision at a press conference in Lilongwe on September 2.
Parliament also announced that the Speaker also had an audience with President Arthur Peter Mutharika on Saturday at the State House where the two are reported to have had “a very cordial discussion”.
“His Excellency the President and the Right Honourable Speaker fully respect the separation of powers amongst the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary,” says the statement published on Parliament of Malawi’s social media platform.
Sameer Suleman at the press conference he convened on September 2 accompanied by several members of the august House
Soon after Speaker Suleman announced the decision to investigate several government entities, ruffled feathers from within his own Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
It included being labeled as “mbuli” (ignoran) by Minister of Information Shadric Namalomba, while advising him to read and understand the law governing the powers and responsibilities of the Speaker.
But he received an avalanche of support from the public, with Canada-based accountable governance advocate, James Kadyampakeni maintaining that Malawi needs the kind of courage displayed by the Speaker.
Chifipa Mhango, who is Chief Economist & Executive Director of South Africa’s Don Consultancy Group, highlighted that when oversight comes from within, it should strengthen and not weaken the DPP-led government.
Chifipa Mhango
In his advice to the DPP, Mhango said: “Do not necessarily see parliamentary scrutiny as an attempt to weaken your Government — use it as an opportunity to strengthen it.”
And to the Speaker, he said: “Continue defending Parliament’s oversight mandate, but do so through evidence, constitutional procedure, institutional restraint and respect for the Executive’s distinct responsibilities.”
After admonishing Suleman, calling him ‘mbuli’, Namalomba then issued a statement distancing government from the legal proceedings against Speaker, declaring that the individual, Austin Mkoka, did so “independently and in his own capacity and his actions should, therefore, not be attributed to the Government or the Executive”.
“The Government understands the public interest in this matter and wishes to reassure Malawians that it respects the constitutional mandate and independence of Parliament, the office of the Speaker, and the independence of the Judiciary,” said Namalomba on September 5.
When Mkoka was granted the injunction, Kadyampakeni observed that the timing and pressure for the urgent judicial review to stop the investigations that hadn’t even started was suspicious — arguing that if the entities to be investigated “are clean, why not welcome the probe to clear their names publicly?
“Running to the High Court for an interim order before any terms of reference are even drafted smells like someone is trying to hide shaky ground, not defend constitutional purity.”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the British High Commissioner to Malawi, Her Excellency Leigh Stubblefield, had an engagement with Speaker Suleman in his office where she pledged United Kingdom’s support to Parliament of Malawi in strengthening parliamentary oversight and building the capacity of Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff.
Parliament Media reports that Stubblefield stated that the visit was aimed at understanding how Parliament of Malawi is discharging its oversight mandate and identifying areas where the British Government could provide support.
“There are many areas of cooperation that we intend to support Parliament of Malawi, especially on training and capacity building of staff and Committees,” Stubblefield is quoted as saying.
On his part, Suleman welcomed the UK’s continued support, describing the country as a longstanding and valued partner of Malawi.
He also disclosed that Parliament of Malawi had asked the UK to facilitate stronger links with the UK House of Commons, including the establishment of a friendship group between the two Parliaments.
“Our Parliaments should always be in touch, sharing ideas and experiences, but also assisting us in capacity building,” he is quoted as saying.
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