MCP backs MPs’ boycott of PAC hearing
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) chief whip in Parliament Jacob Hara has backed his party’s legislators’ decision to boycott yesterday’s Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of Parliament hearing.
In an interview after MCP members of Parliament (MPs) who are PAC members snubbed a hearing on developments at National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) in the aftermath of former deputy chief executive officer Helen Buluma’s departure, he said the legislators heeded Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda’s advice that the meeting was outside the committee’s mandate.
At least 12 MCP lawmakers boycotted the meeting which was attended by only nine legislators predominantly from opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
In an interview, Hara said the party’s leadership in the House advised its MPs to stay away from the meeting.
He said: “The AG’s advice was very clear on the limitations in as far as which officers PAC can summon to its meeting and Nocma is not outside the jurisdiction of the committee and that is why we respected the law because even our own standing orders are clear on the same.”
But lawyer Justin Dzonzi yesterday dismissed assertions that PAC was working outside its mandate, saying there is a difference between making an inquiry on a particular matter and the vetting of an officer.
He said those advancing the notion that PAC has no mandate to probe such matters, especially where there is suspected wrongdoing by the Executive, are wrong.
Dzonzi said: “There is need to understand that the committee wants to probe an allegation in Buluma’s letter and it has nothing to do with her employment.
“Parliament should be required to dig on such things, there is nothing wrong, and for those boycotting it is an emblem of shame.”
He further said the Tonse Alliance administration should not behave as if they have skeletons to hide or that they can run government by a veil of secrecy, adding that that is what the alliance campaigned against.
Dzonzi said: “This is exactly what the DPP used to do and the Tonse government needs to be different. This is not the change that Malawians wanted and I cannot personally agree to sweeping of things behind a carpet.”
When asked to comment on the issue, Nyirenda said he only gave a legal advice and not a directive.
The MPs who boycotted included Boti Phiri of Lilongwe North constituency, Leonard Mwalwanda of Karonga Central, Patrick Bandawe of Dedza East, Mike Mwawa of Salima South East, Tony Ngalande of Balaka North, Rachel Zulu of Mchinji North, Sam Chirwa of Mzimba Luwerezi, Symon Salambula of Ntcheu West and Collings Kajawa of Lilongwe Mpenu Nkhoma.
On Monday, the office of the AG advised Parliament against summoning Nocma board chairperson Colleen Zamba and Buluma to a hearing before PAC on alleged dubious fuel contracts the State-owned company was purportedly being pressured to undertake.
