LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has submitted to the speaker of the national assembly the name of Mary Thom Navicha as the new Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in parliament.
Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Gotani Hara has confirmed receiving the submission but says she is currently consulting before confirming Navicha as the new leader of the opposition.
The move is being perceived as a DPP strategy to remove the fired DPP member and former vice president for the southern region, Kondwani Nankhumwa, from the position.
Nankhumwa has come to the position of challenging the eligibility of Dr. George Chaponda as his successor in the wake of an injunction obtained by some legislators in June 2022.
If approved, Navicha will be the first Malawi’s Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
However, inside sources disclosed that although the DPP had chosen Navicha to replace Nankhumwa there’s a court injunction that 22 Members of Parliament (MPs) sought against Chaponda which will also affect Navicha’s appointment.
This, therefore, renders the tactical withdrawal of Chaponda’s name “dead on arrival”.
Nankhumwa will still be the leader of the opposition until the injunction is vacated.