Malawi’s former ruling Democratic Progressive Party leader in parliament Dr. George Chaponda has torn apart President Joyce Banda’s speech describing it as divisive and lacking distinctiveness.

In his response to president Banda speech made last Friday, Dr. Chaponda questioned the wisdom of establishing more inquiries while government is preaching for unity and reconciliation.

“How can you talk of reconciliation and forgiveness when one is setting up commission of inquiries that may just turn into a ground for witch-hunting,” wondered Dr. Chaponda.

After assuming office, President Banda instituted commissions of inquiry on the death of student activist Robert Chasowa, on the cause and the exact date President Mutharika died, and a committee to probe MRA’s borrowing of K15b to support the zero deficit budget.

Dr. Chaponda said there was need to come up with a truth and reconciliation commission and not commissions of inquiry.

The DPP leader in parliament then defended tribalism in the former regime, saying it is a common practice everywhere.

“What Bingu did was ripping in professionals who were loyal to the party…and president Banda has done the same, we haven’t condemned her,” he said.

He also questioned the reasoning behind investigating the ‘midnight 6’ – former cabinet ministers who held a news briefing on April 6 to argue that President Banda, vice then, was ineligible to take over.

Dr. Chaponda said all what the cabinet was doing was merely seeking a constitutional interpretation of legality of Mrs. Joyce Banda to take over since she was not a member of the ruling party then having been expelled