Parliament will not be manipulated by mob thinking: Speaker hits at religious leaders on electoral reforms

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Richard Msowoya

Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya has hit at the clergy following their demands for Parliament to table and pass electoral reforms bills.

The Speaker has said the electroral reforms bills will not be tabled in Parliament during the current sitting,

Richard Msowoya
Msowoya: Electoral reforms bills will not be tabled in the current sitting.

Reacting to demands by the clergy for Parliament to table and pass the bills, the Speaker said it would not be possible to do so during the current sitting.

“There are a number of procedures that the bill go through before being passed in Parliament. The electoral reform bills are yet to pass in such procedures, therefore, will not be tabled in the current sitting,” said Msowoya who is also Malawi Congress Party (MCP) vice president.

When presenting their petition last week,  members of the clergy warned that they will hold protests if the bills are not tabled in Parliament after seven days.

Minister of Justice, Samuel Tembenu  said government is not worried by the clergy’s threats and will only table the bills after all procedures are followed.

“If they want to hold a nationwide demonstration it means they want to exercise their constitutional rights and we shall not stop them,” said Tembenu.