Article By: Lloyd M’bwana
An independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe City Centre Constituency, David Yakov Bisnowaty whom on Thursday, November 19, 2015 was hurled upon with insults and racist attacks from Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s law makers, has accepted heartedly an apology MCP President Lazarus Chakwera offered.
The apology comes after Bisnowaty on November 20, 2015 penned the country’s National Assembly Speaker-Richard Msowoya to take action on discriminatory and racist remarks Malawi Congress Party (MPC) legislator Alekeni Menyani for Lilongwe North West made against him (Bisnowaty) describing the act as illegal and unacceptable in the modern civilized world.
Suffice to the incident, the general public, social commentators, human rights body requesting the MCP leadership to condemn the racist and discriminatory remarks party law makers made against Bisnowaty over his point of order remarks saying during the MCP era there were also hunger situation only that political suppression prevented people to speak out about hunger situation in their villages.
On Monday, November 23, 2015, during the afternoon proceedings MCP President who is also leader of opposition parties in Parliament, Dr. Chakwera apologized to the law maker Bisnowaty on racist and discriminatory remarks his party members made saying such acts were uncalled for that there should be forgiveness on the matter and carry on with business agenda of the national assembly as Malawians.
Echoing the same, Deputy Leader of House, Kondwani Nankhumwa demanded personal apology from MCP Law maker Menyani to Bisnowaty asking further Speaker Richard Msowoya to include the incident in the next business committee’s meeting agenda which would discus and put penalties to any member who might repeat making the same remarks in future.
On his remarks law maker Bisnowaty accepted the apology from MCP leadership saying as Malawians were loving and caring people there was therefore need for the forgiveness and forgetting whatever happened for progress as one nation.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to put the issue on the record that I didn’t have time to mention the name of the founder and father of the nation, His Excellence, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda on the matter that was put on the floor. Therefore, I didn’t understand as to why members allegedly that I said ills of the founder and father of the nation. I had my sentiment clearly on the matter that came on the floor, that’s what I said”.
“Mr. Speaker, Sir, nevertheless, I believe that Malawian people are loving and caring as most of you say and also what the leader of opposition, Dr. Lazurus Chakwera said that we must forget and forgive each other and carry on, therefore, I accept the apology and forget, forgive and carry on, thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir”, relived Bisnowaty, amid applause from the whole house.
Thereafter, Speaker Msowoya told the house that under his power ordered the removal of the discriminatory and racist remarks from the Hansard (printed remarks or contributions legislators make in Parliament) not to be part of the records and offered consolation message to Bisnowaty, and he went further advising members to refrain from making such ill remarks in the house though have immunity for the freedom of expression during the general debate in the house.
