The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has described President Peter Mutharika as a leader who does not have trust in his ministers following his continued tendency of debating in public the Access to Information Bill (ATI).
Recently, President Peter Mutharika invited different media house managers to discuss issues pertaining to the Bill.
Speaking on Wednesday in a programme called Tchutchutchu on Times Television, MCP’s Public Relations Officer Alekeni Menyani said as MCP, they find it very strange to see the president making amendments to the bill when standing orders do not permit him to do so.
“The whole idea of separation of powers is that each branch of government has its own power to exercise. My understanding is that before the executive comes up with a bill, they meet at Cabinet level and this is where they do all the debate and their proposals and if they have the proposals, the responsible minister is the one who is mandated to bring such amendments at a particular time when the bill sees the light of the day in the august House.
“But in this instance, it is strange that you find the whole president who wants the amendments sorted even before the proposed bill has gone to Parliament.” Menyani explained.
Menyani further said the law does not allow members of Parliament to discuss the bill in anticipation. It is only when it has been presented to Parliament that the bill is discussed by all parties.
“The law says honourable members of parliament should not debate a bill in anticipation they must wait until the first and the second reading is done and then it is opened up for debate. “Why can’t the president trust his ministers, trust his members of Parliament give them information that they need, the proposed changes that he wants to see and not allow us to do this in anticipation,” Menyani said.
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