Expect more chaos as Nankhumwa is poised to respond to Sona as Leader of Opposition in Parliament
Officials from parliament say embattled Mulanje central legislator Kondwani Nankhumwa will respond to President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s State of Nation Address (Sona) delivered on Friday in the National Assembly.
This follows confusion on Friday when two leaders of opposition emerged in the 193-strong House; Nankhumwa and Peter Mutharika backed Mary Thom Navicha who, each had a tags of ‘Leader of Opposition.’
In the chaos which followed, Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara was confused and left in precarious position and President Dr Chakwera could not name the Leader of Opposition during his salutations when he presented the Sona, prompting questions as to who will respond to the Sona as tradition demands in parliament.
But a source at parliament says the National Assembly recognises Nankhumwa as Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
“This is the advice the attorney general gave parliament, so we expect him to respond to the Sona in that capacity,” said the source.
The source said the DPP, just like all opposition political parties in the 193-strong House, will also respond to the Sona through their chosen representatives.
The DPP is expected to vacate a court injunction which Nankhumwa obtained restraining the party from firing him as Leader of Opposition.
If that is done then Navicha will be recognised by the House as Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
Navicha becomes the first female Leader of Opposition in Parliament in Malawi.
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