Senior Chief Chauma of Dedza has urged Parliament to consider adopting Chichewa as the language of deliberations in the National Assembly.
He made the appeal at Dedza Stadium during the ‘Taking Parliament to the People’ event, held as part of Parliament Week in Dedza District.
Chief Chauma argued that using vernacular languages in parliamentary proceedings would enable more citizens to follow and understand the activities of the National Assembly with ease.
Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo-Banda acknowledged the validity of the suggestion, noting that several other countries use local languages in their legislative assemblies.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara, emphasised that holding Parliament outside the chamber aligns with the National Assembly’s strategic plan, which aims to bring Parliament closer to the people.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, George Chaponda, praised the initiative of conducting parliamentary business outside the chamber, as it enhances public engagement and ensures deliberations reach citizens across different regions.
