Parliament’s decision to halt plans for joint committees investigating government operations has split opinion, with some applauding the move while others see it as a blow to accountability.
Parliament has announced that that investigations into government operations will not proceed following the September 4, 2026 court order blocking their establishment.
“The Joint Committees will therefore not proceed, in compliance with the Court Order,” the office said in a statement seen by Malawi24.
The suspension comes just a day after Speaker Sameer Suleman met President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika at State House on Saturday, and it has attracted mixed reactions.
The Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT) is among those criticizing the decision, calling it a setback in the fight against corruption.
CSAT Executive Director Willy Kambwandira said the decision was disappointing, arguing that Malawians had been looking to Parliament to provide answers on issues of public concern.
Kambwandira said they had hoped government, through the Attorney General, would challenge the injunction stopping Parliament from proceeding with the formation of the committees.
“We were hoping that the government, through the Attorney General, could challenge the injunction because these are issues that Malawians have been complaining about and they needed answers,” said Kambwandira.
He said the development could undermine efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency in the country, arguing that the fight against corruption requires institutions to support efforts aimed at uncovering wrongdoing.
However, social commentator Lucky Mbewe has welcomed Parliament’s decision, saying it demonstrates that the legislature also respects the law.
Mbewe argued that the Speaker may have rushed the process of establishing the committees and said the suspension would give Parliament an opportunity to review the matter and ensure that proper procedures are followed.
The contrasting views come amid a legal dispute over Parliament’s plans to establish joint committees to investigate government operations, with the matter currently before the courts.
