Copyright mwnation
Parliament Building in Lilongwe was yesterday turned into a fashion arena as 111 of the 223 newly-elected legislators dressed to kill on the day they took oaths of office. It was a moment when fashion met politics and the chamber sparkled with fascinators, colourful hijabs and stylish hairdos among female members of Parliament (MPs). Neatly tailored business suits for other male and female lawmakers as well as their families, friends and constituency representatives who watched from the visitors’ gallery and set viewing areas were also competing for attention. Parliament secretariat mounted giant screens in the lobby and the National Assembly’s mini amphitheatre, enabling those outside the chamber to have a front-row view of Malawi’s evolving political theatre as the 2025-2030 cohort got down to business. In alphabetical order of their surnames, Clerk of Parliament Fiona Kalemba called the MPs-elect one by one to take their oaths. Chikwawa South Ilyas Abdul-Karim (independent) was the first to take his oath and, after two bows before the clerks’ table in the Parliament chamber, he swore, using the Holy Quran, “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi”. Thereafter, each legislator followed the ritual echoed for centuries of democratic tradition: a bow, a handshake with Deputy Chief Justice Lovemore Chikopa and a careful backward walk to their assigned seats. Kalemba described the ceremony as “a defining moment in the MPs’ public service journey”. The Parliament chief executive reminded the legislators that by taking their oaths, they were binding themselves to serve the nation “with integrity and loyalty”. On the other hand, Chikopa, who presided over the exercise, said the oath-taking marked “a reflection of the trust Malawians have placed in their leaders to move the nation forward”. Notable politicians who took their oaths yesterday included Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda who is legislator for Mulanje South West, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) secretary general and former Cabinet minister Richard Chimwendo Banda of Dowa East, UTM Party’s Patricia Kaliati representing Mulanje West, former vice-president Khumbo Kachali of Mzimba South West on a Freedom Party(FP) ticket, musician-turned-politician Skeffa Chimoto of Nkhotakota Mkhula and former presidential security aide Norman Chisale for Ntcheu Central-Central East. In an interview after taking his oath, Chaponda, a veteran politician serving a fifth consecutive term, pledged to mentor new MPs and described the moment as both spiritual and political. He said: “For me to go this far, it is through the help of God. “People should expect someone who has maturity, confidence and the interest of people at heart. Being elected for the fifth time shows that my constituents see something of benefit in me.” Chaponda said his return to government under President Peter Mutharika marked “a new chapter of implementation”, highlighting the Mutharika administration’s commitment to deliver on the “Four Fs” of food security, fertiliser, foreign currency and fuel. Kaliati, who is UTM Party’s leader in the House and had a break between 2019 and 2025, described her re-election as “a blessing”. She promised to prioritise road infrastructure, clean water and electricity access in her constituency. Kaliati also welcomed government’s decision to make secondary education free from January, saying it would ease the burden on families rebuilding after the impact of Cyclone Freddy in March 2023. “If our people could wake up as early as 2am to vote for us, we must serve them with all our energy,” she said. From the opposition benches, Kasungu South MP and former Finance minister Simplex Chithyola Banda said the ceremony was a reminder of the trust citizens have placed in their representatives. He said MCP will offer “checks and balances grounded in evidence, not political fallacies”, adding that the low retention rate of MPs was “a wake-up call for self-reflection and renewal”. The theme of renewal reverberated in the voices of governance experts who, in separate interviews, viewed the ceremony as both symbolic and instructive. Centre for Multiparty Democracy executive director Boniface Chibwana said the high turnover of MPs should “signal a warning to the new cohort to do business unusual.” He urged them to legislate with the people, not parties, in mind. “Right now, there is too much hunger in the country. MPs must ensure equitable relief distribution and focus on production rather than consumption when debating the budget. Once a budget is passed, it becomes law, and MPs have a duty to monitor its implementation to prevent abuse,” said Chibwana. He cautioned against rushing through Bills without scrutiny and said the character of the next Speaker would reveal much about Parliament’s maturity. National Advocacy Platform chairperson Benedicto Kondowe echoed that call, saying Parliament must reorient itself from patronage to principle. He challenged MPs to act as trustees of the people rather than agents of party leaders, and to institutionalise accountability through stronger committee systems, research-backed debates and regular constituency engagement. Political analyst George Chaima warned that the new Parliament’s credibility would depend on how well MPs honour their contract between citizens and themselves. He said: “For ages, that contract has been violated. MPs have been the main cause of economic and social decline. “They must make policies that will fundamentally alter poverty and backwardness through constructive debate and genuine dedication.” Chaima further noted that every Parliament has watchdogs tasked with monitoring the conduct and progress of debates. From the 2019-2025 cohort of Parliament, constituents used their ballots to retain just 36 percent or 70 out of 193 legislators during the September 16 General Election, according to The Nation tabulation. The retained members of Parliament (MPs) comprise 15 women and 55 men. The high turnover rates for legislators in Malawi appear to follow a pattern familiar across Africa. From the 224 constituencies that the Malawi Electoral Commission declared results, DPP secured 78 seats followed by independents with 70 while the erstwhile governing MCP has 53 seats and UTM Party has eight. United Democratic Front won four while People’s Party and Aalliance for Democracy (Aford) grabbed three each and FP, National Democratic Party and People’s Development Party clinched one seat each. However, Aford now has two seats as its president Enock Chihana relinquished his seat upon taking the oath of Second Vice-President.
