Former Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara is expected to become the Leader of Opposition while MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda, a former Leader of the House, is being tipped to serve as chief whip deputised by his deputy secretary general Gerald Kazembe, MP-elect for Mangochi Monkey Bay Constituency according to sources privy to Malawi News Networks.
However MCP publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila said her party was not ready to release names of legislators to take up various leadership roles in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, DPP and UTM have announced their parliamentary leadership which is dominated by women.
DPP has appointed first-timer Patricia Wiskes of Lilongwe City Nankhaka Constituency as its chief whip with Mzimba Hora Constituency MP-elect Martha Munthali as her deputy, according to DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito.
On its part, UTM has appointed veteran legislator Patricia Kaliati, MP-elect for Mulanje West, as its leader in Parliament while Njawala is the chief whip.
Njawala said in an interview yesterday that Karonga Nyungwe MP-elect Kenneth Ndovi is the party’s deputy chief whip.
He said the party believes in shared leadership and inclusivity and that Kaliati’s appointment demonstrates UTM’s confidence in women’s leadership capabilities.
PP publicity secretary Ackson Kalaile Banda said yesterday that discussions were underway regarding leadership appointments and whether PP will be on the government or opposition benches.
“We have not yet made appointments, and consultations are still in progress on where to align ourselves in Parliament,” he said.
Alliance for Democracy (Aford) publicity secretary Annie Maluwa said following the electoral alliance with DPP, her party will not appoint separate leadership in Parliament.
Section 53(1) of the Constitution stipulates that the Speaker of the National Assembly shall be elected by majority vote of the chamber in which s/he sits at the first sitting after any dissolution of that chamber.
Further, the members shall also elect any stipulated number of persons to the positions of deputy speakers. Currently, Parliament has two; First Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker.
MEC confirmed results in 224 constituencies out of 229, with five constituencies—Lilongwe City Bwaila, Lilongwe City Mtandire- Mtsiriza, Dedza Mtakataka, Nkhotakota Liwaladzi and Blantyre West—remaining vacant due to nullifications, postponements or irregularities.
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