Mutharika vows not to free Parliament

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has trashed calls from various stakeholders to allow Parliament to operate freely, saying there is nowhere in the world where parliament can be fully autonomous with its own budget.

Mutharika said this on Thursday at Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe during a meeting between him and representative of Public Affairs Committee (PAC).

In his speech, Mutharika said Parliament is part of the three arms of government.

“If we do that, there can be abuses at parliament. How sure are you that parliament cannot abuse its powers and resources? This arrangement is good, parliament makes checks and balances on the executive, the executive makes the checks and balances on parliament,” he said.

Mutharika was responding to one of the PAC resolutions that the President should transfer some of his powers to Parliament especially those that allow him to appoint MBC and MACRA director general.

“I have the mandate to protect this office for future presidents. If you take off the powers of the president appointing senior government officials like ambassadors, MBC director general, Macra director general, then what will the president be doing, what will be his job then,” Mutharika asked rhetorically.

Recently Mutharika warned parliament against tabling bills aiming at trimming some of his powers, saying he will veto it.