Parliament is pushing for greater financial autonomy from the Executive, arguing that dependence on central government funding can undermine its ability to effectively scrutinise and hold the Executive to account.
The issue, first championed by Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman in March, resurfaced yesterday when the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee said greater control over finances was necessary for the Legislature to discharge its constitutional mandate independently.
Committee vice-chairperson Gift Nankhuni said delays in releasing funds and Parliament’s limited control over its finances were affecting the implementation of oversight programmes.
He was speaking at Parliament Building in Lilongwe during a presentation by Parliament legal officer Moira Matenje on the financial autonomy of the Legislature.
Nankhuni said the current funding arrangement was inconsistent with the independence of the Legislature provided for under Section 49 of the Constitution.
He said funding delays sometimes forced Parliament to postpone activities or prevented it from implementing programmes as planned.
The concerns come as Parliament proposes a significant increase in its share of the National Budget.
Deputy Clerk of Parliament for Corporate Services Chikondi Kachinjika said the proposal was to increase Parliament’s allocation from 0.53 percent to 1.6 percent of the National Budget in the next financial year.
Meanwhile, the committee was briefed on proposed revisions to Parliament’s Standing Orders.
Deputy Clerk for Procedural Services Joseph Manzi said the review seeks to correct inconsistencies, align the Standing Orders with existing legislation and formalise parliamentary practices and precedents that have traditionally remained unwritten.
The committee also considered a proposal to allow local languages, particularly Chichewa, during parliamentary proceedings.
The proposal follows petitions submitted to Parliament in November 2025 by stakeholders including Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) executive director Sylvester Namiwa and the Lost History Foundation.
The committee is scheduled to meet Cdedi, the Lost History Foundation, University of Malawi officials and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on September 28 and 29 to continue discussions.
