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No more bad laws—DPP

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it is a transformed entity and has pledged to introduce laws that are in the best interest of Malawians.

DPP spokesperson in Parliament Dr George Chaponda said the party regrets its past mistakes in law formulation and is ready to embrace the much-needed change.

Chaponda:  DPP is a changed party
Chaponda: DPP is a changed party

“DPP is a changed party. If there are laws that need to be changed, this time around the party shall consult widely and allow a lengthy public debate before they are passed,” Chaponda said.

He assured the nation that the party will stick to what President Peter Mutharika outlined in his maiden ‘State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, pledging adherence to the rule of law and respect the supremacy of the Constitution.

This is a departure from the previous ill-fated DPP dominated Legislature which came under fire for passing what civil society and donors described as “bad laws” .

When President Bingu wa Mutharika won a second term of office in 2009, his administration used its numbers in Parliament to introduce what the opposition said were bad laws which included the Injunctions Act, the Flag Amendments Act, the Police Act and a law giving powers to the Minister of Information to ban any publication deemed not to be in the public interest.

Malawians are closely watching developments in the National Assembly where the DPP has lost its previous majority status this time with only 49 members of Parliament in its fold.

Any legislative drive will need popular support and cooperation from majority independent and opposition lawmakers.

However, a Malawian law professor at Cape Town University, Danwood Chirwa, has advised the civil society in the country to be on guard this time around to challenge any petty and unnecessary constitutional amendments that could be proposed by government.

The leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera insisted during his swearing-in ceremony on Monday that all proposed bills and laws that are brought in the House must reflect the aspirations of Malawians..

In a separate interview, human rights activist Billy Mayaya tipped the new administration to enact laws in the best interest of Malawians.

“This is a good time for Parliament to enact legislation that will protect the interests of Malawians with specific actions where necessary, otherwise, the scenario of bad laws is very alive,” said Mayaya.

The so-called bad laws, alongside the changes in national flag, were immediately reversed after former president Joyce Banda assumed office on April 7 2012 after the death of Mutharika on April 5.

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2 Comments

  1. What about 2010 laws on local govt, which centralised power over local govt under presidency? can those be repealed?

  2. It is because DPP doesn’t have majority in Parliament that is why it cant introduce bad laws. I bet you if you had majority in Parliament you could have introduced worse laws.

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