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| National |
| Chihana snubs Bingu meeting |
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by
Pilirani Semu-Banda, 17 December 2004
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11:24:11
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Minister of Agriculture Chakufwa Chihana on Sunday ignored a meeting convened by President Bingu wa Mutharika for all members of Parliament (MPs) from the Northern Region and instead held a function for Aford, the party he took into a coalition with the ruling UDF.
The meeting was held as a follow-up to concerns raised in Parliament by MPs from the North on how government allocates development projects.
Leader of the House in Parliament Yusuf Mwawa said on Thursday Chihana’s conduct “was very surprising to government”.
“We expected him to come not only because he is leader of Aford but because he is an MP from the North and a senior minister as well,” said Mwawa.
He said government sent an open invitation to all MPs in the North through the radio and newspapers and expected Chihana and “every other parliamentarian from the North to attend this very important meeting”.
“But he decided to conduct his own party meeting. Anyway, I don’t think we missed him,” said Mwawa.
He said government was satisfied with the presence of deputy Minister of Health Frank Mwenefumbo who was taken as the Aford representative.
Asked if all is well between government and Chihana, Mwawa said the Aford leader is still a minister and that “as far as we know we are in a coalition with his party”.
He, however, said Chihana has broken tradition by defying Mutharika’s meeting.
“It’s been a standing tradition that ministers always attend the President’s functions when they are taking place in their areas,” said Mwawa.
Aford spokesman Norman Nyirenda said his president had another pressing engagement within his own party to attend to.
“Was he supposed to go there? He was not obliged to attend the meeting,” said Nyirenda.
He said Chihana was not the only MP from the North who failed to attend the meeting.
Reports indicate that 22 out of 33 MPs in the North attended the meeting with Mutharika.
UDF parliamentarian for Mzimba South West Khumbo Kachali, who is also UDF treasurer general, sparked the debate in Parliament during the budget sitting in September when he warned that the region would resort to unspecified action if their concerns were not considered.
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