Blantyre City South East MP Sameer Suleman has brushed off a K500 million defamation claim filed by Minister of Higher Education and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Publicity Secretary Jessie Kabwira, calling the legal threat “very laughable.”
Kabwira, through her lawyer George Jivason Kadzipatike of Jivason and Company, is demanding compensation for what she describes as “defamatory and sexist remarks” made by Suleman during a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rally held in Blantyre on June 8, 2025.
The alleged comments—which were aired on Times Television and widely circulated on social media—are said to have twisted a lighthearted joke made by Minister of Trade and Industry Vitumbiko Mumba at a state function just two days earlier. Kabwira and Mumba are known for their close professional relationship and public banter.
According to the legal notice, Suleman distorted Mumba’s remarks and publicly claimed that Mumba had said Kabwira “does not bathe.” He allegedly went further by ridiculing her appearance in Chichewa: “kuchipaka Vaselini two days chili mbuuu kutuwa”—implying her skin doesn’t respond to lotion.
“This statement is entirely false and defamatory,” reads the letter from Kadzipatike. “Such utterances have severely damaged Honourable Kabwira’s reputation and dignity, particularly given her role as a senior government official.”
The legal complaint also references past incidents in Parliament where Suleman allegedly made similar derogatory remarks, including likening Kabwira to gule wamkulu—a traditional masked dancer—and again mocking her hygiene.
While parliamentary privilege shields MPs from legal consequences for statements made in the chamber, Kabwira’s legal team argues that Suleman’s actions amount to sexual harassment under Section 6 of the Gender Equality Act.
The demand letter gives Suleman seven days to pay the K500 million or face court action.
Reached for comment, Suleman confirmed receiving the letter and dismissed the lawsuit as baseless.
“Yes, I have received the letter. It’s very laughable,” he told Malawi24. “First, she’s bringing up comments I allegedly made in Parliament. But the law protects MPs inside the chamber—she should have raised the issue with the Speaker right then.”
As for the remarks made during the DPP rally, Suleman denied directly referring to the minister.
“I said ‘Kabwirabwira,’ not Kabwira,” he said, suggesting the name was a play on words and not a direct attack. “If the cap fits, she can wear it.”
He further ridiculed the lawsuit by referencing alleged missing public funds: “If she’s after money, there’s K67 billion lying idle somewhere. She knows where it is—maybe she can go share that.”
Suleman concluded his remarks with a jab at Kabwira’s appearance and professionalism: “As a minister, she needs to think before she acts. I don’t want to go into personal issues, but if she has problems with how she looks, she should talk to her friend Mumba—not me.”
The developing dispute is already drawing significant public interest and political commentary as it pits two high-profile figures from opposing parties against each other in a case mixing defamation, sexism, and political theatre.
