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| National |
| Mangulama gives Katsonga ultimatum |
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by
Gedion Munthali, 06 December 2004
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09:38:35
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Chair of UDF MPs in Parliament Leonard Mangulama has given government Chief Whip Davis Katsonga a seven-day ultimatum to reinstate 20 MPs he removed from committees of the House or risk unspecified action.
But Katsonga challenged Mangulama on Sunday to touch base with him instead of visiting newspaper newsrooms.
“He has to communicate to me officially. He knows my number, let him phone me up and we will discuss,” said Katsonga.
Giving the ultimatum on Thursday, Mangulama, who is also Zomba Changalume MP (UDF), also demanded that Katsonga should apologise to the concerned MPs.
Katsonga said the MPs have been removed for trying to sabotage the 2004/2005 budget.
“He does not have any right to do what he has done,” said Mangulama. “He must apologise and reinstate them or we are going to take unspecified action.”
Sources said last week the action would be to ask the UDF national chair Bakili Muluzi to remove him as the party chief whip. On Sundsay rumours suggested Katsonga has been removed, but were proven to be untrue when Katsonga himself was contacted.
Katsonga had earlier said on Wednesday Mutharika is the one who chose him to represent him in Parliament and that his job was to ensure that government business is successful.
“His statements are insulting and underrating UDF MPs. The vice president talked with the MPs and that’s how the budget was passed. Katsonga, therefore, cannot bring that issue now,” said Mangulama.
He warned that Katsonga’s action would divide the party even further.
“You cannot do this when others are busy trying to reunite the party. That’s very irresponsible,” he said.
A top parliamentary official described Katsonga’s decision to fire the MPs as invalid, arguing it is not in line with the new standing orders governing parliamentary practice.
The expert, who chose to remain anonymous but felt obliged to point out the gaffe, said Katsonga’s action violated standing order 142 (3) that states that members of a committee can only be removed by the whole House.
“Yes, standing order 142 (1) says the party chooses names of the members to various committees through the party’s chief whip, but no where is the whip given powers to remove the members,” argued the expert.
“If one reads standing order 142 (3), then you would not have a chief whip assuming the powers that are given to the House as it is in this case. Hon Katsonga’s decision is invalid and cannot hold,” he added.
UDF deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda said it is not fair to fire any MP from a parliamentary committee on “unknown reasons” and that the issue has to be discussed between government and the party.
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