Africa-Press – Malawi. The Alliance for Democracy (Aford) has disclosed that it is seeking legal opinion on lawmaker Yeremia Chihana’s perceived ‘association’ with the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Chihana, who won on Aford ticket in Mzimba North Constituency, has been spotted at rallies organised by DPP president Peter Mutharika at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre and, recently, in Mangochi District.
At the Mangochi rally, Mutharika extended an olive branch to people from other parties, notably UTM and Aford, saying they are welcome to join DPP. The former State president also jokingly asked Chihana to join the DPP.
Speaking in an interview, Aford secretary general Wakuda Kamanga said the party is suspicious of Chihana’s alleged association with DPP. He added that the legislator does not “consult” the party when attending such meetings.
Kamanga said Aford has never had secret meetings with DPP, adding that what Chihana has been doing, by attending the former governing party’s rallies, is confusing party members, a development which the party cannot tolerate.
He said the party is engaging law experts on the matter, before it comes out with a final decision on how their Member of Parliament (MP) should be treated.
“When he attended the Njamba DPP rally, we invited him [to a meeting] so that we could hear from him about his position but he did not come.
“Now we cannot repeat the same [thing by inviting him to a meeting]. What we are doing is seeking legal opinion and we are going to act according to the piece of advice we will get,” Kamanga said.
But, when contacted, Chihana said he represents the people of Mzimba North in particular and Parliament at large. He added that “the majority” of Aford members are happy with how he is working in Parliament.
Chihana said he, as MP, cannot work in isolation but defend the interests of Malawians, the majority of whom are, according to him, not happy with how the government is running national affairs.
“If they think that they can apply Section 65, let them know that it cannot work because despite the fact that I campaigned for Tonse Alliance, I have never sat on the government side in Parliament,” he said. Before amendments, the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi used to bar MPs who were elected on one party’s ticket from changing sides.
“The Speaker shall declare vacant the seat of any member of the National Assembly who was, at the time of his or her election, a member of one political party represented in the National Assembly, other than by that member alone but who has voluntarily ceased to be a member of that party or has joined another political party represented in the National Assembly, or association or organisation whose objectives or activities are political in nature.
“Notwithstanding subsection (1), all members of all parties shall have the absolute right to exercise a free vote in any and all proceedings of the National Assembly, and a member shall not have his or her seat declared vacant solely on account of his or her voting in contradiction to the recommendations of a political party, represented in the National Assembly, of which he or she is a member,” provisions of Section 65 indicated.
Chihana further said he attends DPP rallies in the national interest. “It’s true [that] I have been attending these DPP rallies but I go there as an MP in the national interest. At times, if you put the national interest first, you forget about the party and work for the people because there is a need for proper checks and balances on the government.
“Otherwise, Malawians, including members of Aford, are happy with what I am doing,” Chihana said.
Meanwhile, University of Malawi political analyst Ernest Thindwa has said what is happening in Aford borders on lack of leadership legitimacy. Thindwa also said Chihana may be enjoying his freedom to associate with others.
“He could have gone there as an individual and that is probably the reason he did not put on Aford attire.
“However, his presence at the rally gives Aford members a wrong picture and this symbolises lack of leadership legitimacy,” Thindwa said. Aford has two MPs and the other one is Wachepa Phiri from Mzimba East Constituency.
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