Parliament has launched a training programme aimed at strengthening legislative per formance, oversight and representation among legislators in response to growing public scrutiny. Opening the first cohort at the Malawi School of Government (MSG) in Lilongwe yesterday, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Victor Musowa said the initiative is intended to promote a more disciplined and issue-based legislature. He said increased public access to parliamentary proceedings through live broadcasts and digital platforms has raised expectations on the performance of members of Parliament (MPs), adding the three-week programme is a strategic investment in improving how MPs conduct parliamentary business.
Musowa: Training is an investment. | WycliffeNjiragoma Said Musowa : “Our constituents are watching, listening and analysing how we effectively represent their interests and respond to their aspirations. This training is not merely an academic exercise; it is a strategic investment in the effectiveness of our Parliament.” He said the goal is to strengthen MPs’ use of research, data, and institutional support systems such as the parliamentary library and budget office, while discouraging non-substantive debate. The programme has enrolled 45 MPs in the first cohort out of 229 legislators, with additional sessions expected over the parliamentary term.
Musowa said impact will be assessed based on participation and the application of skills in committee work, law-making, and oversight. In his remarks, European Union Ambassador Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi said the training supports Parliament’s core functions of legislation, oversight, and representation, aligning with the EU’s broader support for democratic governance. He said the programme was co-designed with local stakeholders to ensure it responds to the practical needs of legislators.
Said Gaztelumendi: “We are very happy to partner with Malawi in protecting, safeguarding and nourishing democrac y. Our Malawian counterparts know much better than we do what the needs are. “We work together to co-create a programme tailored to the actual work of parliamentarians.
Democracy is a verb. You need to keep defending it and expanding it.” Malawi School of Government director general Professor Asiyati Chiweza said the curriculum was designed to provide comprehensive capacity building for MPs.