Malawian Hail Speaker's Choice

By AEP/Richard Chirombo
Though the election of Henry Chimunthu Banda as Malawi's new Speaker
of Parliament was a foregone conclusion, after his election by a
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus held two weeks ago, Malawi's
leading newspapers have hailed his elevation to the position.
Both The Nation and The Daily Times, have hailed the rise of Chimunthu
Banda from oblivion a decade ago, to become Malawi's 10th Speaker of
Parliament.
They have, however, asked him to consider opposition views. The Nation
argues in its editorial that, while opposition Members of Parliament
were few in numbers, they were not short of ideas.
Political observers, speaking in The Daily Times, have hailed
Chimunthu's election. They hail him as a sober man who braved the heat
when being in Parliament meant brushing shoulders with High Blood
Pressure during the last parliament.
That Parliament was criticized left and right by civil society
organizations. It made Budget Sessions difficult, and rejected some
important bills such as the Malawi/Mozambique Interconnection Bill
aimed at fixing the country's misfiring energy sources.
However, Chimunthu Banda how inherits a House sobered up by the just
ended May19 elections- where some heavyweights were sent packing and
new faces ushered in. The only worry by observers is his DPP ground,
as party Secretary General.
Chimunthu Banda has not hinted on whether he plans to resign from that
position, though the statutes say a Speaker should be impartial and
not play to party guidance or direction.
The most recent Speaker of the Malawi National Assembly, Louis
Chimango, maintained his position of Director of Legal Affairs in
Malawi Congress Party to the end.
People now argue the influence of the two positions could be
different, and that resignation by Chimunthu Banda could just do it
for the better- at least for the image of the Office of the Speaker of
Parliament.