Editors PickNational News

Speaker stops sensitive security report

 

Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya yesterday ordered suspension of presentation of a report by the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security due to the sensitivity of emerging details.

In the report, committee chairperson Alex Chitete said field visits and consultations his committee undertook between September 2017 and April 2018 established that the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) lacked some critical equipment.

Msowoya: Please skip some details

He said the committee also observed that there were many other challenges at the air wing in Lilongwe, including dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate funding, lack of VIP lounge and transit room.

However, the legislator was disrupted by murmurs of disapproval from several members of Parliament (MPs), who stood on points of order apparently to ask the Speaker to curtail presentation of the report as it touched on national security.

But before granting any point of order, Msowoya noted the sensitivity of the issue and ordered Chitete to skip some explicit security details. The appeal was, however, late as the committee chairperson had almost completed making his presentation.

The Speaker still ordered Chitete to simply deposit his statement with the House for the record.

In its report, the committee recommended introduction of an air wing vote independent of MDF. It also recommended upgrading of infrastructure.

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