DPP battles Maseko, Chilunga

In a typical DPP tit-for-tat fashion, Malawi’s ruling party on Monday manoeuvred to remove two MPs from key continental legislative forums after falling out of favour with the establishment.

 

One of the two recently ditched the DPP for the People’s Party (PP) and the other joined PP from independent benches. Government moved a motion to have the two lose their lucrative membership to the Sadc Parliamentary Forum and the Pan-African Parliament.

The two—Grace Zinenani Maseko of Zomba Changalume and Jennifer Chilunga of Zomba Nsondole—now sit as independents since Vice-President Joyce Banda’s PP is yet to win a seat officially. Government argued the two belonged to the Sadc Parliamentary Forum and the Pan-African Parliament by virtue of being members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Maseko belonged to the Sadc Parliamentary Forum and Chilunga the Pan-African Parliament.

Leader of the House George Chaponda cited Article 6 (3) (4) of the constitution of the Sadc PF and Rule 8 (f) of the Rule of Procedure of the Pan-African Parliament as justifying the two’s removal from these bodies, according to Friday’s order paper notice.

Speaking after the motion was presented in Parliament, Mzimba South West MP Khumbo Kachali said politics of retribution and vengeance should have no room in the 21st century.

Karonga Nyungwe MP Khwauli Msiska (Aford) said the matter could have been dealt with as an administrative issue but not asking the whole House to be involved.

Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Minister Goodall Gondwe said it was DPP leadership that sent Maseko to the Sadc PF; hence, the decision to recall her.

But Maseko challenged Gondwe that she was not appointed to represent the Malawi Parliament, not DPP.

The House, which finally approved the motion, also later did the same for Chilunga who has since been replaced with Thyolo South West MP Dr. Allan James Chiyembekeza.

Maseko’s replacement is yet to be announced.