Katopola interdicted
The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) has interdicted embattled Clerk of Parliament Matilda Katopola.
Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda, who is also PSC chairperson, on Sunday confirmed the interdiction.
Said the Speaker in an interview: “I can confirm the interdiction with half salary. The Attorney General [AG] wrote the PSC on that guidance. They gave us guidance.”
Chimunthu Banda described the interdiction as normal in government until the conclusion of Katopola’s court cases.
He said the interdiction was issued last week and he did not have the exact details.
But he said Katopola was already served with the interdiction letter.
However, chief State advocate Dr. Zolomphi Nkowani said he saw the correspondence from the Speaker to Katopola dated June 20 2013.
Asked why the interdiction is coming this time when Katopola’s cases started sometime back, Chimunthu Banda had no answer and said the AG was better placed to answer.
The Speaker also refused to comment on reports that government wants Katopola to return all the benefits she has been getting.
He said: “Those are matters in court.”
AG Anthony Kamanga was not available on his cellphone as he was reportedly out of the country.
Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, who is also Solicitor General, Dr. Janet Banda said the PSC has acted within its powers as it has the mandate to hire, fire and interdict.
She said it was also a fact that Katopola has not been reporting for duties for a long time.
Katopola refused to comment on the issue on Sunday.
But Parliament secretariat sources claimed that she has been asked to surrender official vehicles and that when travelling abroad she should seek permission from the Speaker or the PSC. Katopola is reported to have since surrendered her official vehicles.
Katopola was sent on forced leave by the PSC on May 21 2012 pending termination of her services.
In July last year, Katopola refused to return to work as ordered by the PSC, demanding that outstanding issues be clarified first.
Since her appointment by former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika as the first female Clerk of Parliament in 2005, Katopola has faced pressure from some Members of Parliament to leave office. Sources say she became unpopular among the legislators for reportedly introducing strict controls, especially on financial management.
In September 2012, Katopola sued President Joyce Banda on grounds of abusing Executive and prosecutional powers after the President allegedly pushed for her removal from office.
Documents seen by The Nation at the High Court of Malawi’s Lilongwe District Registry showed that Katopola is accusing the President of abusing her powers to push for her prosecution on corruption allegations in a 2007 procurement transaction at the National Assembly.
Katopola was accused of flouting procedures and not declaring interest when Parliament procured printing and photocopying services worth around K80 000 from her firm, Monick Trends.
But both the National Audit Office and Mutharika cleared Katopola in the case.
