By Pemphero Malimba:
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Victor Musowa has challenged members of Parliament (MPs) to deliver on their legislative, representative and oversight mandate.
He has also cautioned parliamentarians against absenteeism.
Musowa made the remarks during the opening of the fourth cohort of the Parliamentary Training Programme at the Malawi School of Government (MSG) campus in Lilongwe yesterday.
He said keeping to MPs’ mandate was key to success.
“We see the pressures of us trying to deliver on everything; to sit at every funeral [service event], to buy every casket, but it is not in our mandate. Let us deliver the three principles of our mandate, whether we come back here [Parliament] or not. That will be judged in 2030,” he said.
Musowa said Parliament stood ready to work with various State and non-State actors in discharging its duties.
Musowa also said Parliament would continue to subpoena government officials who fail to avail themselves of it.
“If a government official does not come, we will subpoena them and subpoenaing means going to take them from the office, house or anywhere, [even] from the street. [If need be], we can engage security agencies, Sheriffs, to bring an officer to Parliament. That has not been stopped,” he said.
MSG Kanengo Campus Director Christine Siame said the training was key to operations of the MPs.
Siame said she was hopeful that the training would help to enhance knowledge on communication and wellness among the legislators.
“For example, if we are talking about youth unemployment, certainly they [MPs] should be able to know how to speak to the youth and be able to provide what the youth want. If we are talking about economic transformation, they should also have some skills so that they should be able to communicate with their constituents about the economic issues in their constituency,” she said.
Meanwhile, Musowa has said Parliament is expected to deliberate on eight reports in the coming meeting, which starts on November 9, 2026.