By Twink Jones Gadama
The National Assembly was temporarily suspended on Thursday amid chaos over the playing of CCTV footage showing the vandalism of vehicles belonging to two ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers.
The government side, led by Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda and Minister of Natural Resources Owen Chomanika, blocked attempts by the opposition to have the footage played, alleging that Thyolo Central MP Ben Phiri (DPP) had tampered with the video.
The controversy began when government MPs demanded that the house first watch a footage of Phiri going into the CCTV control room, claiming that he was the first to access the room and therefore must have manipulated the footage.
However, when the footage was played, it showed that Phiri was not the first to enter the control room, but rather followed other opposition MPs who were assigned to review the footage.
Despite this, the government side continued to insist that Phiri had tampered with the footage, with Dedza South MP Ishmael Onani (MCP) even suggesting that Zomba Malosa MP Grace Kwelepeta, who was a victim of the vandalism, might be trying to “plant something” near the Speaker’s vehicle.
The opposition MPs, however, were adamant that the footage should be played, arguing that it was essential to identify those responsible for the vandalism.
The standoff between the two sides led to a temporary suspension of the house by Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara, who promised to investigate the matter further.
The incident has raised concerns about the growing tensions between the ruling party and the opposition, as well as the increasing politicization of the National Assembly.
It also highlights the challenges faced by the assembly in dealing with sensitive and contentious issues, particularly those involving allegations of wrongdoing by lawmakers.
As the house resumes its sitting tomorrow, it remains to be seen how the matter will be resolved and what consequences, if any, will be faced by those responsible for the vandalism.
The incident has also sparked debate about the role of CCTV cameras in promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions.
While some argue that the cameras are essential in preventing and investigating crimes, others have raised concerns about the potential for manipulation and abuse.
As the National Assembly continues to grapple with the fallout from the incident, it is clear that the issue of CCTV footage and its role in promoting transparency and accountability will remain a contentious one.
In the meantime, the people of Malawi will be watching with keen interest to see how their lawmakers will navigate this complex and sensitive issue.
Only time will tell if the National Assembly will be able to rise above the petty squabbles and political point-scoring that have characterized this incident, and instead focus on the real issues that matter to the people of Malawi.
