Wednesday, March 3, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News National News

Speaker seeks legal advice on MPs

by Suzgo Khunga
01/11/2018
in National News
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

 

Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya has sought legal advice on what action to take following a request from the Office of the Declarations of Assets to declare vacant seats of six members of Parliament (MPs) and a Cabinet minister.

RelatedHeadlines

2 jailed 20 years for defilement

Group decries quality of maternity wing project

Nsanama-Nayuchi Road project starts next month

Public Declarations of Assets and Liabilities director Chris Tukula last week wrote the Speaker and President Peter Mutharika to declare vacant seats of the MPs and Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development Grace Chiumia for contravening Section 14 (3) (a) of the Assets Declarations law which requires public officers to submit declarations annually.

Richard msowoya | The Nation Online
Seeking advice: MsowoyaRichard msowoya

The six MPs namely, Chiumia herself, George Chaponda, Christopher Mzomera Ngwira, Willard Gwengwe, Henry Shaba and Davis Kadzinja did not declare their assets for the year 2016/17.

In an interview yesterday, Assistant Clerk of Parliament (Press and Protocol) Leonard Mengezi, confirmed that the Speaker received the letter.

He said the Speaker, through the Clerk of Parliament, has since sought advice from the legal team on the way forward.

“I have been briefed by the Clerk that she has received the letter and the Speaker has also been given a copy. The Speaker will act but it is not specified what will happen. Once the legal team advises him, he will follow whatever they will say and outline the procedure to take,” said Mengezi.

According to Standing Order 207 (4), the Speaker receives a petition to declare a seat vacant after which he serves notice to the concerned MPs to respond to the allegations.

However, this procedure has only been put into action in reference to evoking Section 65 of the Constitution relating to crossing the floor.

Section 15 of the Assets Declarations law obliges public officers, their immediate family members and associates to declare their financial status and other assets including sources of funding and how the assets were acquired.

The law obliges the Assets Declarations office to report errant officers to the Office of the President and Cabinet in case of ministers and high ranking officials, and to the Speaker in case of MPs.

However, the law falls short of empowering the Assets Declarations Director to act on officers who default on declarations.

If the Speaker or President does not act on the minister and MPs, the Assets Declarations office cannot do anything.

Tukula said in an interview yesterday that failing to declare is a civil offence not criminal.

He said if Parliament or OPC does not act, the Public Appointments Committee can take up the matter.

Previous Post

Power deal: Hit or miss?

Next Post

Malawi slips on business index

Related Posts

An illustration of court proceedings
National News

2 jailed 20 years for defilement

March 3, 2021
maternity wing project | The Nation Online
National News

Group decries quality of maternity wing project

March 3, 2021
toad | The Nation Online
National News

Nsanama-Nayuchi Road project starts next month

March 3, 2021
Next Post
Gondwe: There is loss of revenue

Malawi slips on business index

Opinions and Columns

My Turn

Unmasking Covid-19 vaccine

March 3, 2021
My Turn

Tackling global slowdowns

March 1, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Burglary at the hill

February 28, 2021
Search Within

Perseverance landed, is alive and well

February 28, 2021

Trending Stories

  • Under probe: The Reserve Bank building in Mzuzu

    Exclusive: RBM’s Mzuzu branch payment mess exposed

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • K5bn Sunbird Waterfront hotel opens May

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Lhomwe chiefs divided on paramount chief

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Inside Chisale’s seized property

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Experts fault IFMIS roll-out delays

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.