By Burnett Munthali

When MCP through their legislator Peter Dimba mentioned the bill in parliament, DPP MPs protested requesting the house to allow more time for consultation before the bill is presented! MCP in its typical way of rushing up things, bulldozed the bill and it was passed! At the time MCP was passing this bill, DPP legislators had walked out of the house.

There were several calls from both Public Affairs Committee and the Civil Society including the citizenry to have the bill pended so that views from several stakeholders should be sought but MCP did not listen to that Only DPP stood with the society and PAC.

Who knows? MCP has been embroiled in so many scandals emanating from rushing things! Anything that smells like money to MCP is more important, especially when there are some kickbacks on the sidelines. It is alleged that MCP was already promised huge sums of money by some companies abroad who were set to exploit Malawians by taking a huge share in Chamba cultivation!

Chakwera had no option but not to assent to the bill because of fear of PAC and other stakeholders. He is part of MCP, and he was aware that the bill would be tabled.

If the government has the majority in Parliament, then even if the opposition walks out of the parliament, it will not have any effect on any resolution as it will be passed but the opposition will not get a chance to vote or ask questions about it which is their loss. If the opposition is walking out repeatedly and the resolution is especially important then the house can be called where it will be easily passed. So, if the opposition walks out, it does not have much effect on resolution.

The hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.) is one of the most cultivated plants in history in the world. Hemp has been an important source of food, fiber, and medical products for thousands of years.

Cannabis is commonly used as a recreational drug. People also commonly use cannabis for multiple sclerosis (MS) and nerve pain. It is also used for nausea, vomiting, migraine, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Cannabis is a plant of the Cannabaceae family and has been used for millennia for medical and recreational purposes, but also as hemp fibre to create paper, clothing, biofuel, and food.

The flower or bud stage is where the plant begins to develop significant medicinal benefits. the cannabis plant is the flower or bud, specifically the calyxes containing the most cannabinoids.