Members of Parliament were engaged in some fisticuffs in the chamber of the House during the voting on the controversial E-levy bill on Monday, December 20.

The MPs were taking votes on whether or not the E-levy should be adopted under a certificate of urgency.

At the time, Joseph Osei-Owusu who was presiding stated that he was stepping down to vote so,  the Second Deputy Speaker should take over.

The Minority had earlier contended that per parliament’s standing orders, the Speaker of Parliament does not have a casting vote, however, Joe Osei-Owusu indicated that he Would still vote.

Just when he was about to step down for the Second Deputy to take over, the Minority took the stage.

In the process, the Minority clashed with the Majority with members of both sides exchanging blows.

Instead of bahaving honourably like grown ups and respected members of the society, the MPs turned Parliament into a wrestling ground.

Kicks and blows were flying in all directions as the honourable members turned into dishonourable members, ignoring all the rules on social distancing.

President Dr Lazarus Chakwera will this morning attend National Service of Thanksgiving at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, the Office of the President and Cabinet says in a statement.

The Malawi leader is expected to arrive at the venue at 9am.

The President declared “National Thanksgiving Day” on July 19.

In a statement signed by the Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako, Chakwera asked Malawians “to intensify prayers for the healing of those affected by Coronavirus; for the protection and support of frontline health workers in the struggle; for the protection and zeal of those who have not contracted the virus”.

The Minister of foreign affairs Eisenhower Mkaka has expressed Malawi government’s displeasure over the treatment the South African government gave Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera on his departure to Malawi.

According to the a statement issued by the minister and read by  State House Director of Communication, Sean Kampondeni,  Chakwera was delayed by 7 hours for unspecified security reasons.

It further reads that, the South African government was denying Chakwera’s team to get on board with him citing security reasons.

President Lazarus Chakwera is ready to reduce presidential powers as the Tonse Alliance administration is keen to effect this reduction.

During his inauguration at Kamuzu Barracks soon after being sworn in as Malawi president, Chakwera said he will propose legislation to reduce the powers of the presidency.

Speaking during a State House weekly update on Monday at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre Press Secretary, Brian Banda said other reductions of powers require legislative and constitutional amendments.

“Trimming presidential powers cannot be done overnight because some of the presidential powers require parliament to deliberate on,” he said.

However, Banda said the Malawi leader is committed to relinquishing some of his presidential powers, in an effort to embrace the servant leadership which he has been popularising.

“Currently the president is processing of engaging the ministry of Justice just to make sure that the process is ongoing, some reduction of powers are merely administrative, which the president is already implementing by identifying the areas of government administration that presidents have historically usurped from other institutions,” he said.

The president is following all protocols needed and once completed Malawians will be updated on the way forward regarding the issue of reducing powers. “I am just calling for patience from Malawians,” appealed Banda.

Meanwhile the president has congratulated the constitutional court judges who have won the coveted Chatham award for handling the presidential election case without fear or favour.

President Dr Lazurus Chakwera has said about K4 Billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Health to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chakwera made the remarks after he paid a second visit to parliament to answer questions from members of parliament.

He said, development partners had also chipped in $61 million to support the fight.

About 182 Malawians have died from the disease since March this year when the first case was reported.

Four weeks ago Felix Mlusu Minister of Finance presented in parliament the 2020-2021 national budget valued at 2.190 Trillion Kwacha in total expenditures.

And after breaking in clusters to scrutinize the allocations to various ministries and departments, on Monday this week legislators started approving vote by vote allocations in what is traditionally known as Committee of supply.

State House Director of Communication, Sean Kampondeni, says President Lazurus Chakwera, has always believed that the private sector is crucial in creating 1 million jobs for Malawians and not the civil service.

According to Kampondeni, the Tonse Alliance led government will put in place the right policies for the private sector to thrive and create jobs for Malawians.

These remarks comes in after President Chakwera made a U-turn on 1 million job creating saying government could not create jobs on its own and needed the private sector’s help.

He added that every entrepreneur needed to employ more people.

The one million campaign promise was a major talking point for the Tonse Alliance that was elected in a rerun presidential poll.

Center for Democracy and Economic Development (CDEDI) has accused the Tonse Alliance administration which under Lazarus Chakwera for taking Malawians for granted, as women took to the streets and march for their rights.

CDEDI said this in a press statement made available to Face of Malawi. According to the good governance grouping, yesterday, it joined the demonstrations against gender imbalance which were organized by Women Manifesto Movement.

CDEDI added that people were expecting that the Chakwera-Chilima government would engage women and have a clear conversation with them immediately after they took the presidency as they have been preaching during the campaign period.

“It was people’s expectation that President Lazarus Chakwera would invite the women rights groups to a round table discussion owing to the Tonse Alliance campaign promise of servant leadership,” read part of the statement.

Regarding to the development, CDEDI feels blameless, saying that aftermath of the fresh presidential elections on June 23, 2020, Malawians were sold a “dummy and they should brace for business as usual.”

“As it happened with the previous administrations, the new leadership does not inspire hope,” said Sylvester Namiwa who is the chairperson for the human rights grouping.

Namiwa further added that it is very unfortunate that barely after 3 months Tonse Alliance administration ascended into presidency, Malawians are already back  into the streets.

According to Namiwa, Malawians are not asking for favor, but they are longing for promises made to them to be fulfilled.

“It should be put on record that by going to the streets, Malawians are not asking for favor, but this is a promise Chakwera made to the people of Malawi that he shall promote women into leadership positions,” he said.

He went on reminding the Tonse Alliance government that it is bad for a government that has been beneficiary of demonstrations that advocated for adherence to the rule of law to begin paying a blind eye to the very same issues.

Among others, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), Women Lawyers Association of Malawi joined the protests which took place in all major cities across the country.

President Dr Lazarus Chakwera said Monday “we need to bring back discipline, order and professionalism in the civil service.”

Answering a question from reporters at the celebration to mark 100 days in office, the Malawi leader said Malawi’s civil service had a reputation in southern Africa as a professional one in the past.

The President of Malawi, Dr Lazurus Chakwera has said it is not wrong to have chiefs on presidential entourage to International meetings because some chiefs qualify for such trips and have necessary qualifications to add value to government business.

He was responding to questions on whether he would depart from tradition to have chiefs as part of his international trips.