Honourable  Catherine Gotani Hara, a lawmaker with the main opposition Malawi Congress Party, MCP, has been elected speaker of Malawian Parliament. This makes her become the first ever woman speaker.

According to reports, she won a closely contested poll on Wednesday beating former first deputy speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje. 190 MPs participated in the process to elect the next speaker and two deputies.

The ruling Democratic People’s Party, DPP, nominated Mcheka Chilenje, who is currently serving as Member of Parliament, MP, for the Nsanje North constituency.

As in other countries, the speaker must him / herself be a member of the house to take the post.

Speaker Gotani Hari replaces Karonga Nyungwe Richard Msowoya who also belonged to the main opposition Malawi Congress Party, MCP, where he was at the time its vice president.