Malawi Parliament sitting postponed from 9 November to 11 December
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Nyasa Times
Malawi Parliament Speaker Sameer Suleman confirms that the sitting scheduled for 9 November has been postponed to 11 December, in accordance with President Peter Mutharika’s decision. The Malawi Law Society considers the postponement unconstitutional, and legal experts say it could be challenged in court, reports Nyasa Times.
The Speaker of Malawi’s National Assembly, Sameer Suleman, will not challenge the decision to postpone the parliamentary sitting scheduled for 9 November to 11 December. He announced the postponement in a letter and said MPs should listen to President Peter Mutharika, arguing that the savings could be used for the priorities he had outlined, reports Nyasa Times.
The Malawi Law Society has asked Suleman to reverse his position, saying the postponement is unconstitutional. Legal expert Justin Dzonzi believes the decision can be challenged in court, which could examine whether the President had the power to make it and whether it served the stated purpose.
The postponement suspends consideration of the mid-year budget review. Legal analyst Benedicto Kondowe says that postponing the sitting without setting a date for it to resume creates uncertainty over this parliamentary oversight function.
The dispute is part of the challenge to the postponement of the budget session announced by Peter Mutharika. Lawyers have also questioned his power to postpone Parliament, while the Malawi Law Society is calling on the Speaker to reconsider his position.
