BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Malawi leader Peter Mutharika is expected to deliver a recorded State of the Nation Address at parliament following the parliament’s instruction to have only youthful legislators in the National Assembly in the face of the novel Coronavirus.
Spokesperson for Parliament, Ian Mwenye, confirmed of the development saying the decision was made by the Business Committee chaired by the Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara which also made several recommendations to reduce the gathering in the chamber.
“The Sona will be delivered on Friday 5th June. This will mark the opening of the Budget meeting,” said Mwenye.
In an effort to protect the aged parliamentarians from Covid-19, Parliament released guidelines for the 2020/21 budget meeting that would see only 100 ‘youthful’ lawmakers meeting for two hours every day in the chamber.
According to the guidelines that were released on Tuesday, parliamentarians of advanced years have been asked to stay away as they are deemed susceptible to the fatal effects of Covid-19.
The guidelines are a way of minimising the spread of the novel coronavirus while Members of Parliament (MPs) continue to transact government business of passing the budget and other businesses that might include deliberating the electoral reform bills.
The bills will determine when and how the fresh presidential election, which was ordered by the courts after nullifying the 2019 presidential election, should be held.