By George Mkandawire

Despite a motion moved by Malawi parliament last week to remove its Clerk Matilda Katopola, government has declared that she will not go.

Malawi’s opposition legislators ganged up to remove the Clerk of Parliament after being found guilty by an inquiry instituted by the Parliamentary Service Commission for flouting procurement procedures by awarding her company, Monik Trends a tender to provide photocopying services to the National Assembly, which earned her K85, 000.

Chief Advisor to Malawi president Bingu Mutharika, Heatherwick Ntaba said Katopola will not leave the National Assembly, because she was not appointed by parliament.

Ntaba further said the issue about the Clerk of Parliament was already dealt with the appointing authority, who is President Mutharika.

“Our opposition legislators should realize that they did not employ Katopola. The President appointed her; therefore, they have no powers to fire her. It is only the President himself who can sack her,” said Ntaba.

“This means that they are unable to understand the separation of powers between the legislature and the executive. They should not interfere in the executive, neither override the latter,” said Ntaba, describing the opposition legislators as “brutes.”

He said to government, the issue was now “water under the bridge”, because Katopola was “pardoned” by the President.

After findings of the commission of inquiry were made available to government, President Mutharika, “pardoned” her, claiming that the amount involved was quite “little.”

“If an appointing authority forgave her. who are opposition legislators to say that she has to be fired? No matter what resolutions they make, Katopola, will not go. She will still be at Parliament. No body, except the President himself can remove her,” said Ntaba.

Opposition legislators threatened that unless Katopola is removed the 2008-2009, National Budget current under deliberation, will go through tough times.

There was no immediate comment from the opposition on Ntaba’s outbursts.

Meanwhile, a group sponsored by DPP have threatened to take to the streets if Katopola, will be removed from the National Assembly.

Most Malawians have since expressed concern on how the president and his government are handling the issue of Katopola arguing that stealing is stealing despite the amount one is caught with.