As parliamentarians continue debating the State of the Nation Address (SONA), political commentator Wonderful Mkhutche has asserted that members of the August House must use their duty to verify the contents of the SONA and summon the President to clarify any issues that may be found to have been misrepresented.

Malawi Law Society President Patrick Mpaka has told Zodiak that, according to the law, Section 17 of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, read in conjunction with Section 105 of the Penal Code, states that the President or any person can be considered to have committed a criminal offense punishable by up to seven years imprisonment if found to be providing incorrect information in Parliament.

Mpaka said that in delivering such an important constitutional and statutory document as a SONA, the President has a responsibility to provide accurate information.

However, he noted that a President is immune from criminal proceedings under Section 91 (2) and cannot be charged under Section 105 of the Penal Code for misleading Parliament but remains accountable for any inaccuracies.

"On the other hand, it is obvious that a President does not compile such information by himself or herself, so those state officials who help the President develop such an important parliamentary record ought to be answerable and held accountable for misleading the President, who in turn would have misled Parliament against serious statutory and constitutional requirements if it turns out that the content of the SONA is false," said Mpaka.

Government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu says they will leave the parliamentarians to do their duty.

"The President delivered the State of the Nation Address, the President appears before Parliament, and we believe that during this meeting of Parliament, he will also appear before Parliament. MPs have the right and space to ask him questions," said Kunkuyu.

Among other things, the President mentioned in his address that the government had completed the construction of 29 security staff houses in Phalombe, which is not the case on the ground.

For the first time, the President took time to update Malawians on the developments that his government has accomplished in all the districts in the country.