For years, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ridiculed parliamentary walkouts as childish theatrics unworthy of serious lawmakers.
But on Friday, now sitting on the opposition benches, the same party marched out of the chamber in protest, leaving Deputy Leader of the House Shadreck Namalomba openly stunned that MPs could show solidarity for colleagues accused of breaching order.
The drama began when Speaker Sameer Suleman suspended five MCP legislators for the remainder of the sitting.
The lawmakers were accused of leaving their seats during a power outage and approaching the Clerk’s table in defiance of parliamentary procedure.
Suleman ruled that while the blackout disrupted business, it did not excuse what he described as indiscipline.
According to the Chair, the MPs ignored repeated instructions to return to their seats, prompting their immediate exclusion from proceedings.What might have remained a contained disciplinary matter quickly escalated.
In a coordinated show of protest, the entire MCP opposition bench rose and walked out, transforming sanctions against five members into a collective political statement.
Namalomba condemned the move, arguing that Parliament exists to debate policy, pass laws and scrutinise government, not to endorse conduct that undermines order.
His question cut through the commotion: how does one justify solidarity with members penalised for defying the rules?To the government side, the optics were glaring.
The MCP, now in opposition, appeared to embrace the very tactic it once dismissed as disruptive and irresponsible when deployed by others.That past is well documented.
During its time in government, MCP leaders frequently criticised opposition parties, particularly the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), for staging walkouts and boycotting key sessions.
Among those who voiced such criticism was former Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda, who rebuked absentee opposition MPs and emphasised accountability during sessions addressed by President Lazarus Chakwera.
The reversal now borders on poetic. From condemning walkouts as political immaturity to executing one in the name of solidarity, the MCP’s shift underscores how quickly principle can bend when roles change.
As proceedings resume, one irony lingers in the chamber: in Malawi’s Parliament, today’s walkout warriors are often yesterday’s walkout whiners, proof that in politics, the exit door swings both ways.
