NAP backs Speaker Suleman’s push for parallel parliamentary probes

Malawi Exclusive

The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) has thrown its weight behind Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman’s proposal to set up independent committees to investigate 13 standalone issues of national importance.

Speaking at a press conference at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe on Saturday, NAP Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe, a lawyer, said the issues raised by Suleman are not new and enjoy backing in Malawi’s legal framework.

The 13 issues include fuel supply and NOCMA procurement, use of local and foreign transporters, electricity sector performance, civil servants’ pensions, mining governance, fertiliser coupon distribution, prison conditions, passport services, access to justice, the stalled Lilongwe-Salima-Lilongwe Water Project, the Blantyre Water Board CEO dispute, alleged loss of K700 million in public funds, and corruption in the mining and tobacco sectors. af134d95

NAP issued a statement on September 2 2026 supporting the Speaker’s decision to enhance parliamentary oversight on public service delivery and management of public resources.

“The platform emphasizes that parliamentary committees must act as engines of change rather than mere forums for debate,” Kondowe said. “But inquiries must be fair, transparent, and evidence-driven to avoid being perceived as witch hunts.”

NAP however cautioned on constitutional limits. The platform noted that while the Speaker holds presiding and procedural authority under Section 53(5), corrective powers rest with the National Assembly under Section 53(5) and Section 56.

“Institutional balance is key,” Kondowe said. “Parliament should not substitute itself for bodies mandated to prosecute crimes or address maladministration.”

The platform called for complementarity between state institutions. Any evidence of corruption or criminality unearthed by the committees, it said, must be referred to the Malawi Police Service, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and the Office of the Ombudsman.

NAP described the initiative as “An affirmation of Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to hold public institutions accountable.”