The circus that is going on in Malawi Parliament and its first woman speaker is embarrassing to say the least. Gotani Hara is retarding the progress of all women in the country.
As the first Woman speaker of the house, she is making it difficult for future women who will have ambitions to lead Parliament.
Retired high Court judge Dustin Mwaungulu writes:
“All this is because of the problem of the independence of the judiciary – taken to interesting heights – and parliamentary sovereignty – reduced to its improper height!
The National Assembly, under the Constitution, is master and sovereign of its procedures! The Leader of the opposition is a creature (of procedure) by the National Assembly (in its standing orders). It is doubtful that a court can intervene in a parliamentary process – by an injunction!
And for the Speaker to succumb to a court process undermining its sovereignty is unheard of! It must be obvious to any judicial officer that fighting with the legislature by imposing orders affecting its process is ignoble! Just as it must be obvious to the legislature that judicial intrusion should not undermine its sovereignty over the process!”