Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman has hit back at DPP Secretary General Peter Mukhito, making it clear that he communicates directly with President Arthur Peter Mutharika and does not make decisions at party level without consulting the President.
Suleman has also appeared to dismiss Mukhito’s criticism of Parliament’s ongoing probes, insisting that as long as he remains in Parliament representing Malawians, the National Assembly will continue investigating matters of public interest.
The Speaker has suggested that Mukhito should not attempt to portray himself as the voice of the President or seek political mileage from issues that fall within Parliament’s constitutional mandate.
Suleman’s message is simple: he is only doing the job Malawians sent him to do.
He has indicated that Parliament will not be intimidated or distracted from carrying out its oversight responsibilities, regardless of political pressure or criticism from within the ruling party.
The latest remarks set the stage for an increasingly public clash between the Speaker and the DPP Secretary General over how far Parliament should go in scrutinising matters of national interest.
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