The party elected law maker for Lilongwe Central Constituency, Lobin Lowe as the leader, who told Zodiak on Wednesday that the decision to elect him was arrived at to facilitate smooth operations in the house.

“In the house we are guided by standing orders which provide that the party with largest number of Members of Parliament should elect leader of opposition. After the May 21 elections which we duly won, we are forced to sit on the opposition side. That’s why we are in court with the matter,” Lowe said.

Parliament Deputy Spokesperson, Ian Mwenye, says MCP has not flouted any Parliamentary Standing Order.

Said Mwenye; “according to standing order 35 (1), the responsibility of appointing or electing leader opposition is the responsibility of the opposition political party with majority MPs in the house.”

He added that parliament may not comment on the appointment of the interim opposition leadership in the house, saying the development is an internal arrangement from the party.

Meanwhile, political analyst George Phiri has described the development as good for progress sake in the August House.

“They understand that they have a role to play because of the members whom people voted for and since there is not disputation in the Parliamentary elections, they know they have to be in the house” said Phiri.

Sam Kawale and Khumbidze Kandodo Chiponda have been elected interim chief whip and deputy chief Whip respectively.

MCP MPs say they don’t recognize the government in place arguing they won the May 21 elections. They also boycotted President Peter Mutharika’s State of Nation Address.