Mzomera rejects seat in Parliament
Member of Parliament (MP) for Mzimba Hora Christopher Mzomera Ngwira on Tuesday rejected a seat the Speaker allocated him in the House, challenging that he has a right to sit at a place of his choice.
People’s Party (PP) expelled the former provincial chairperson following allegations that he was behind the fracas which erupted at a meeting in Mzuzu in January and last week wrote the Speaker communicating its decision and a request that he be seated elsewhere.
Ngwira has voiced his dissent against the appointment of PP vice-president (political) Uladi Mussa as caretaker leader and instead promoted prodigal son Khumbo Kachali as party president in the absence of its leader Joyce Banda.
When it was observed that Ngwira was at his former seat, not 94 behind former PP MPs, Second Deputy Speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje Nkhoma requested him to take his new seat, but he refused.
“You cannot dictate to me, it is my right to sit wherever I want,” Ngwira shot back.
But the deputy Speaker pointed out to Standing Order 39 (1) which states that every member shall have a seat reserved for him or her by the Speaker.
Ngwira countered later that SO 39 (5) also gives him, as a newly independent MP, the mandate to reserve any seat in the chamber which has not been reserved for the government or opposition political parties.
