Maravi

‘President facing impeachment shouldn’t dissolve Parliament’

‘President facing impeachment shouldn’t dissolve Parliament’
Written by Ernest Chanda
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:26:10 AM

THE Executive Committee of the National Constitution Conference (NCC) yesterday unanimously adopted a proposal to insert a clause in the new constitution that will stop a sitting president from dissolving Parliament when there is an impeachment process against him.

This was after one of the NCC participants, Pastor Tanda Mulenga, proposed that a clause be inserted in the new constitution which should forbid a sitting president from dissolving Parliament when there is an impeachment process against him.

"... I have sensed that in the event that there is an impeachment against a sitting president and he senses that things are going against him, he can dissolve Parliament at any time to save himself. I therefore propose that we include a clause in the new constitution which should stop a sitting president from dissolving Parliament when there is an impeachment process against him," Pastor Mulenga said.

However, the committee agreed that the president should continue performing other functions.

And contributing to the proposal, Chifunabuli PF member of parliament Ernest Mwansa said it was important to insert the clause so that no president could run away from a genuine impeachment process.

"... I am of the view that when a president realises that he is in trouble, he can fake problems and lie to the nation that ‘I am failing to govern the country because of the members of parliament therefore I am dissolving Parliament’. It is in this vein that we should consider protecting the integrity of the Presidency by inserting such a clause," said Mwansa.

Labels: CONSTITUTION, NCC, PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 9:25 AM