Speaker angers MPs on PAC report
Speaker of Malawi Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda on Thursday angered some members of Parliament (MPs), especially those on the opposition side, for blocking debate on the report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament into the siphoning of billions of kwacha in public funds.
PAC presented its report with 28 recommendations after consultations with various government institutions and from plenary, but the report apparently fell short of expectations.
After the report, Karonga Nyungwe MP Khwauli Msiska asked for a way forward, arguing that the recommendations could not go without debate from the House.
“Now that the report has been adopted, do the recommendations just remain recommendations? To whom are they subject to approval or rejection?” Msiska asked.
But Chimunthu Banda quashed the idea, saying the committee, with 23 members, was a representation of the whole Parliament, hence no need for members to debate on their own report.
This did not satisfy the MPs who rejected a move by Leader of House Henry Phoya to bring another committee report for tabling.
The MPs also refused to go for tea break in protest, but were later persuaded.
The dissent from the House prompted the Speaker to call for a meeting of the business committee, which comprises leaders and whips of political parties in Parliament for discussions.
As they walked out of the chamber, MPs on the opposition side were heard murmuring among themselves: “We have been cheated”, “What am I going to tell my constituents?”.
One female MP said: “So what was this meeting for? To make recommendations which will not be adopted? This is not on.”
Member of Parliament for Mangochi Nkungulu Mahmud Lali said: “We haven’t done the job we were asked to do.”
When asked to comment on his remarks, Msiska said there would be developments today which is Private Members Day.
In the report, PAC has recommended that Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Governor Charles Chuka should be suspended to pave the way for smooth investigations into the central bank which the committee said cleared cheques with large amounts from government Account Number One.
The committee also recommended that budget director Paul Mphwiyo appears before Parliament to hear him out on cash-gate and the need for political party financing legislation to prevent parties from being used as conduits for public financial mismanagement.
