Parliament reconvenes for the 2015/16 national budget sitting on Tuesday, May 5 to July 3 with UDF MPs set to move to government benches for the deliberations.

The movement follows an application the yellow camp made to Speaker of the House Richard Msowoya to move from the opposition to government side due to the two parties` working relationship.

President Peter Mutharika has maintained UDF leader Atupele Muluzi as one of his senior ministers heading the critical internal security ministry.

UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo confirmed the decision has been reached following a `successful` application to the speaker to have all 14 UDF MPs sitting on the government side.

Speaker Richard Msowoya said UDF will not be contravening any law by physically moving and changing the sitting arrangement in the August House.

“Following the application by the UDF, my office consulted the attorney general (Kalekeni Kaphale) who said the two parties can share seats. Therefore, there is nothing wrong since MPs are free in parliament,” said Msowoya.

Section 65 of the country`s constitution prohibits members of parliament from defecting.

However constitutional law expert Edge Kanyongolo, who is an associate professor of law at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, said the party is free to move.

“There is no defection in the relocation as Section 65 does not refer to the physical movement of MPs in the House, but the act of leaving one political party to join another or an organization whose objectives are political in nature contravenes the law,” said Kanyongolo.

Fellow legal expert and director of Justice Link Justin Dzonzi concurred with Kanyongolo, saying the decision does not pose any threat to democracy.

“There is nothing wrong with this arrangement constitutionally because it doesn`t mean the UDF is deregistering by changing seats,” said Dzodzi.

DPP leader in the House Francis Katsaira said his party is looking forward to the new setup while UDF chief whip in Parliament Lilian Patel said the move to relocate to government benches was agreed by the party.