By Burnett Munthali
Leader of the opposition, George Chaponda, has expressed frustration after Parliament blocked his attempts to question the government on two significant matters—the plane crash that killed former Vice President Saulos Chilima and the handling of Malawi’s K15.1 trillion debt.
Chaponda stated that Parliament prevented him from raising concerns about the investigation into the plane crash, which led to the tragic death of Chilima. The government has so far provided little information regarding the crash, which has left many unanswered questions.
In addition, Chaponda criticized the government’s lack of transparency on how it is managing the country’s mounting debt, which stands at K15.1 trillion. He had intended to seek clarification on what steps the government is taking to address the debt crisis.
Chaponda has since called on Speaker of Parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara, to step down from her position. He warned that if she refuses, the opposition will move forward with plans to impeach her.
Chaponda’s remarks come at a time when tensions are high in the National Assembly, with opposition parties demanding greater accountability from the government on various pressing issues.
