Opposition cries foul over private member’s motion

Opposition members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday cried foul when the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) refused to waive question time as per the Order Paper to allow the House to deliberate a private member’s motion.

Despite Thursday being reserved for private members motion, the request to move was denied by most members of the House, prompting opposition members to call for points of order.

Dedza East MP Juliana Lunguzi (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) wondered why opposition members of Parlaiment (MPs) were voting to decide whether questions could be waived when it was automatic that Thursday belongs to private members.

“We have other days where these questions can be answered, we do not need today of all days to deliberate questions. Today is private member’s [day], the only day when we get to move motions, I am just wondering why the day cannot be treated as such,” she said.

Commenting on the issue, Zomba Changalume MP John Chikalimba (People’s Party-PP) queried the Speaker Richard Msowoya for not ruling in their favour.

“I do not want to be party to this. Today is private members motion for private members,” he said.

Earlier, Msowoya asked the House if all questions could be waived to allow private members move their motion.

But the request was unanimously denied, prompting many questions from the opposition.

After close to 10 minutes of points of order, the House went back to question time and private members motion started after tea break.

In an interview, Msowoya said private members motion comes on Thursday, but the opposition asked to waive questions on the Order Paper.

However, this was shot down by the House. n