President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has appointed former Chief Legislative Counsel in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Fiona Kalemba as new Clerk of Parliament.

The appointment follows the retirement of former Clerk of Parliament which resulted to the post being vacant.

Kalemba becomes the second female CoP since independence after Matilda Katopola who was fired in 2012.

Meanwhile President Mutharika has officially opened the 46th session of Parliament with an appeal to Parliamentarians to focus on national issues.