Suleman accused of sexing up report

 Commotion ensued in Parliament on Wednesday when Ntchisi South par l iamentar ian Ulemu Chilapondwa (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) stood on a point of order to challenge Agriculture Committee chairperson Sameer Suleman cooking up figures presented in the cluster committee’s report.

Chilapondwa, who is vice-chairperson of the cluster committee, distanced himself from the report, saying it was not a reflection of what they discussed as a committee.

He said: “For example, the issue of megafarms and the sentiment that government started from 67 000 metric tonnes of maize last year to zero metric tonnes this year are his personal sentiments and not included in the report.”

Suleman, an opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker who represents Blantyre City South East, stood up to challenge the Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara and those that were accusing him of fabricating parts of the report he presented.

This prompted Gotani Hara to evoke Standing Order 105, ordering Suleman to leave the chamber as he continued to accuse the Speaker of taking sides because she is from the ruling MCP.

In solidarity with Suleman, several DPP members went out of the House.

The Speaker then ordered the secretariat to circulate the report so that the members should confirm if what Suleman said was a reflection of the committee’s resolution.