Most Malawians consider parliamentary inquiries into matters of national interest important, and many view the investigations as even-handed, according to a new Afrobarometer survey.

The organisation said respondents cited inquiries into the Amaryllis Hotel purchase involving public pension funds and the plane crash that killed former Vice-President Saulos Chilima. Two-thirds of respondents said they were satisfied with Parliament’s oversight of the executive.

Views of individual MPs were less positive: fewer than four in 10 respondents said their MP was doing a good job, while a similar share rated their performance poorly. Afrobarometer also reported that about half of respondents believe Parliament should require the president to explain government actions regularly.