Parliament turned into lecture room
Malawi Parliament on Monday turned into a lecture room as members of Parliament (MPs) tested each others wits on psychological theories.
It all started when Lilongwe Central MP Robin Lowe, started his contribution on the budget debate by borrowing some psychology theories on different types of people in the world.
He said: “In the world there are people who see things everybody sees; those who see things that nobody sees; and those that see things that do not exist and these are [the last category] dreamers. In Malawi, we have a lot of dreamers who join politics to meet their own needs, these people cannot develop this country.”
Although Lowe did not make a direct reference to any theory, his statement briefly turned the chamber into a lecture room when Nkhata Bay South MP Professor Etta Banda, on a point of order, faulted Lowe’s interpretation of the psychology theory.
Banda said what Lowe was referring to was the Johari Window Theory and pointed out that the psychological model being referred to indicates that every individual possesses all the elements and not only one as suggested by the MP.
“And the Johari Window Theory has four elements and not only three. Every individual has all the four elements,” said Professor Banda with Speaker Henry Chimunthu Banda agreeing.
The Johari Window is a tool used to understand and train self awareness, personal development, improving communications, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter group relationships.
