… condemns Hara for not performing like other female Speakers
Leader of Government Business in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa says Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara’s leadership is heavily partisan and a recipe for chaos.
Nankhumwa has also expressed disappointment over the Speaker’s failure to perform like female Speakers from other countries.
He made the remarks in a letter to the Speaker on Monday in which he accused Hara of favoring opposition legislators in Parliament.
“As Leader of Government Business in the House, I wish, at this stage, to register my disapproval over your leadership style in the august House, and state without qualms that it is toxic, heavily partisan, and recipe for chaos,” said Nankhumwa who is also Minister of Agriculture .
He gave the example of the issue where Blantyre City South East Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Member of Parliament (MP) Honourable Sameer Suleman and Dowa East, MCP MP, Honourable Richard Chimwendo Banda refused to leave the House but the Speaker only wanted to punish Suleman.
According to Nankhumwa, Chimwendo Banda would have gone scot-free without being punished if other legislators had not protested.
He also faulted the Speaker’s decision on Friday to disallow a motion for extension of time so that could members debate the issue of confirmation of Mr. Duncan Mwapasa as Inspector General of Police.
Nankhumwa said Hara’s decision was wrongly conceived since more members, notably on the government side, voted in favour of the extension of time than those that were against it and the Speaker has no mandate to overrule a decision of the House.
“In my considered opinion, your decision to curtail debate on confirmation of Mr. Duncan Mwapasa as Inspector General of Police was politically motivated and dictatorial, especially considering that there are precedents where time has been extended to allow members to discuss and conclude important business in the House,” said Nankhumwa.
He then advised the Speaker who is also an MCP MP to lose her partisan robes and discharge her duties based on competence and above-board integrity.
“I pray that you change your leadership style and adopt a more inclusive approach that takes views and input from both sides of the isle in the House to ensure that we have a Legislature that represents the true aspirations of all Malawians regardless of political affiliations.
Nankhumwa also urged Hara, the first female Speaker in Malawi, to discharge her work with above average diligence and integrity like female Speakers in other countries.
