Parliament’s 47th session starts Nov 10

Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya says members of Parliament (MPs) will convene from November 10 to December 15 2017 for the 47th session of Parliament.

Msowoya said in a statement issued yesterday President Peter Mutharika would perform the State opening that will also mark the commencement of the session’s first meeting.

“All Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and honourable members of Parliament are summoned to attend the meeting at the time and place indicated until adjournment sine die and herein fail not,” reads part of Msowoya’s statement.

Assistant clerk of Parliament (CoP) responsible for protocol and public relations Leonard Mengezi while confirming the development, said he did not have the actual details of the business to be conducted.

He said: “This [opening of Parliament] means that everything that was there falls off and will have to be reintroduced. But for the actual details ask me later when the Business Committee of Parliament meets to come up with detailed business and what is expected to be tabled.”

Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa was reportedly in a meeting when contacted yesterday on what government plans to bring in the House.

However, there are high expectations from the public as well as opposition political parties on the issue tabling the much-talked about Electoral Reforms Bill and Political Parties Bill, among others.

Government through Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu already committed to bring the Electoral Reforms Bill during meeting this meeting of Parliament.

The quasi-religious body, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has over the past weeks been meeting various stakeholders to garner support for the tabling and passing of the Electoral Reforms Bill.n