PARLIAMENT FLEXES ITS MUSCLES

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000299

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT FLEXES ITS MUSCLES


1. SUMMARY. The third session of the Malawi National
Assembly since the May 2004 elections opened at the New
State House in Lilongwe on March 30. In the opening
session, Parliament rejected the President's nominee for
Inspector General of Police. Party alliances were not
clearly spelled out, and Parliament remains without a
permanent venue. END SUMMARY.


2. The third session of the National Assembly since the
May 2004 elections opened in Lilongwe on March 30. The
sitting will run until Friday April 8, and will cover
several items, including an amendment to the
Constitution, food security, and a mid-term report on
budgetary performance.


3. The first order of business was debate of the
confirmation of the Inspector General of Police, Mrs.
Mary Nangwale, who was ultimately rejected. This is the
first time Malawi's Parliament has rejected a President's
choice for head of the Police; however, it also marks the
first time Parliament has ever had the opportunity to do
so. The Nangwale vote was not necessarily divided along
party lines, and in the debate the issue of gender
(Nangwale is Malawi's first female Inspector General)
proved equally significant to politics. During a roll
call vote 88 MPs voted against her confirmation, 83 MPs
voted for her confirmation and eight MPs abstained.


4. With the president's departure from the United
Democratic Front (UDF),the government no longer commands
a majority in Parliament. Therefore, the Speaker
instructed that political parties with some of their
members in cabinet would sit on his right hand side,
where a ruling party usually sits. This effectively
neutralized any potential wrangling over seating
arrangements, traditionally a representation of party
alliance in the Malawian Parliament.


5. Parliament is meeting temporarily in the New State
House, which President Mutharika occupied as his official
residence in December. At that time the president
informed Parliament that it must find a new permanent
home. The Speaker announced that funding for a new
building has been secured, although no completion date
has been set. The Speaker also announced our Public
Affairs Section's offer of free Internet access and use
of the Information Resource Center (IRC). The
announcement received a very positive response from MPs,
who do not have computers or Internet access.


6. COMMENT. Party alliances remain yet unclear, and
Parliament's failure to confirm Nangwale (who had
recently faced widespread criticism and was of
questionable political neutrality) is not necessarily
emblematic of things to come. Rather, what is most
significant is that Parliament was able to assert itself
and did not simply bow to the executive branch, as it had
in the past. Parliament is demanding respect for the
country's constitution, which is a healthy sign for
democracy in Malawi. END COMMENT.

GILMOUR