PARLIAMENTARY Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga says the ruling in which Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa reprimanded Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo over his conduct is consistent with the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Mr Mwaanga who was speaking in an interview yesterday advised the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) to study the Standing Orders of Parliament instead of being quick to attack the Speaker.
“It is unfortunate that SACCORD does not understand the Standing Orders of the House yet go ahead to accuse the Speaker of being biased. I expected SACCORD to be well informed,” he said.
He said it was unfortunate to accuse the Speaker of gross irresponsibility when he was acting within the confines of the law.
Mr Mwaanga said members of Parliament enjoyed absolute freedom but that freedom should not be extended outside the House when the subject matter is what was discussed in the House.
He said this was not the first time Mr Mpombo was being reprimanded but he has alleged continued to conduct himself in an unacceptable manner.
Mr Mwaanga said MPs are expected to behave in an honourable manner.
He said Mr Mpombo should have made his remarks concerning the Presidential speech in Parliament.
“While in Parliament, Mr Mpombo did not debate the President’s speech yet he goes outside Parliament to make disparaging remarks against the President,” Mr Mwaanga said.
SACCORD has accused Mr Mwanamwambwa of being biased in the manner he handled Mr Mpombo’s matter.
Last week, Mr Mwanamwambwa castigated Mr Mpombo for disparaging President Banda.
SACCORD information officer Obby Chibuluma is reported as having said Mr Mwanamwambwa was violating the law and undermining the separation of powers.
And the MMD on the Copperbelt has advised Mr Mpombo to heed Mr Mwanamwambwa’s warning to stop issuing disparaging attacks against President Banda.
MMD Copperbelt provincial vice chairman, Jerry Mukonkela said in an interview in Ndola that Mr Mwanamwambwa’s warning to Mr Mpombo is timely.
“We advise Mr Mpombo to heed Speaker of the National Assembly, Amusaa Mwanamwambwa’s warning that he should stop insulting President Banda because it is an offence. We also call on law enforcement agencies to do their work,” Mr Mukonkela said.
He advised Mr Mpombo and all well meaning Zambians to accord President Banda the respect he deserves as head of State.
On Wednesday, Mr Mwanamwambwa cautioned Mr Mpombo against issuing disparaging attacks against Mr Banda because it is an offence.
Mr Mwanamwambwa wondered what the law enforcement agencies are doing about the matter because it is an offence to insult the Presidency especially that it is provided for in the Penal Code.
Mr Mukonkela also castigated Mr Mpombo for his remarks that President Banda is claiming credit for projects initiated by President Mwanawasa.
“Mr Banda took over from President Mwanawasa and he has to finish all those projects,” he said.
Mr Mukonkela said Zambians were going to blame Mr Banda if he decided to abandon projects which had already taken off.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
COMRADE VJ SURELY YOU EXPECT HABASONDE TO BE WELL IMFORMED NOT HIM AND SACCORD PLEASE. LEE IS HUNGRY AND NEEDS TO EAT SO HE HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE SAYING SOMETHING BY HIS FUNDERS. ITS LIKE HIS COFFERS HAVE RUN DRY
Circus yekayeka when it comes to Zed politics, kwati fyaiche. Honestly aren’t there important and pressing issues facing the nation that needs more attention than amalabishi aya?
Amazing!!! Calling the President of zambia by name is now a criminal offence…. mawe. He is Rupiah Banda, that is his name.. Speaker you are daft..
You only expect such stories from state -owned media. Ba mwaanga nabapwa.
Mr speaker sir you are mental. You are so backwards like your back.
Lusaka MMD ready for pact
THE MMD in Lusaka Central Constituency has said it would be good for the Patriotic Front (PF)/United Party for National Development (UPND) Pact to continue so that it sees how influential President Rupiah Banda and the MMD are when they compete in next year’s elections.
The party in the constituency has pledged to vote for President Banda in the 2011 polls because he has proved to be a democratic leader.
Speaking yesterday at a ceremony to celebrate President Banda’s leadership hosted by the MMD Njanji Branch, Lusaka Central Constituency chairperson Chilekwa Munkonge said he was happy with the growing grassroots support for Mr Banda.
Mr Munkonge said although the MMD in the past had problems in Lusaka, Central and parts of Northern provinces, it was beginning to receive more support from ordinary people in the areas.
He said President Banda was not shaken by any opposition party and that it would be good for the PF/ UPND Pact to continue so that it sees how powerful the MMD was.
He said the support Mr Banda was receiving in Lusaka showed that the pact had collapsed.
Mr Munkonge also said the MMD wanted to ensure nobody continued to insult President Banda because it was the same people who used to attack late president Levy Mwanawasa who had turned on Mr Banda.
He said Mr Banda was a democrat who had even created a website so that people could easily communicate with him.
He advised Change Life Zambia executive director Frank Bwalya and Mongu Catholic Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy to stop engaging in active politics but instead concentrate on preaching the word of God.
And Njanji Branch chairperson Lovely Chiyobeka said the celebrations were held in solidarity with President Banda’s leadership and in readiness for next year’s elections.
In the British and most Commonwealth parliamentary systems, MPs and public office bearers swear allegiance to the Queen or President. In Zambia, it is to the President and the constitution. Every Member of Parliament has immunity from prosecution for libel or defamation if they are debating a subject matter in the august house. When Shakafuswa brought up the issue of the abuse of office clause, The Post reported that VP Kunda threatened him with prosecution. That is not possible. The people who would have been prosecuted are the ones who leaked the news to him. I conclude one thing and that is, Zambian MPs do not know how powerful they are while in the House.
Mr Chiyobeka encouraged people in his area to register as voters so that they could ensure a 100 per cent victory for President Banda and the MMD in next year’s polls.
Musenge questions Kabimba’s move
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Nkana Member of Parliament (MP) Mwenya Musenge has questioned party secretary general Wynter Kabimba’s call to members in all the constituencies interested contesting as MPs in next year’s polls to apply for adoption.
But Mfuwe PF MP, Mwimba Malama has welcomed the invitation to the members to apply for adoption although he said the action would spell confusion for the party.
Mr Musenge, in a reaction that could suggest deep-seated divisions in the opposition party, said he was interested in knowing how the party arrived at the decision.
Mr Kabimba said some MPs had become unpopular and they were annoyed with the decision to advertise their seats.
He also claimed that some MPs felt vulnerable as the decision challenged their personal survival since some of them derived their livelihood from their positions as MPs.
“What research was done to determine the popularity of MPs?” Mr Musenge asked.
He said while the party secretary general had the mandate to issue circulars, he should not insinuate that some people had joined politics because of poverty.
Mr Musenge said the party should concentrate on the pact between the PF and United Party for National Development (UPND) which people wanted.
He said the decision to call for applications would lead to confusion in the party because every member would want to be adopted.
Who is this matuvi called Mwata? Mwata stop this pasting of stories not related to the topic under discussion. You are very annoying
Let the courageous Mpombo go and say it in Parliament that the President lied and should lay the evidence on the table
Speaker is right.Whether he has done it to the others or not the principle is right.We just have to insist its done to all.True ba VJ though with vested interest.Ba Mpombo should know what he wants to me he is behaving mental.Why not join Magande then?you cannot eat with one hand and rubbish it with the other surely?
It follows.
Drama pa Zed awe ni pa chalata.
Mwata the empty tin at it again, making the loudest noise.
mwata mwata too much ukupipa bakote the smell and sight of pupu clogs his mind. cut down on buka boyi you have so much time when your ka whiteman is sleep you spend your time writing pupu. read and go back to school
@21,lady gaga, I tought i was the only one this Mwata annoyed to each end of my grey matter! Typical of people from Nwestern. With his circumsed p.e.n.i.s bloodbbubbling amock between his languid legs, you dont expect him to produce anything worthwhile, let alone what is coming out from his behind under. These r people who r so retrogressive in any sort of revolution. When i was at school, we had such people who would always boycott strikes of any sort & when you r punshed for your efforts by the powers that be, they r on top of their voices condeming your honest efforts. Such a coward-am sure he is the one purpoting to carry the name of TRUTH too.
God damn, what manner of pothole is that above Mwaanga’s ear” Is that where “ubupuba” and the mentality of “kulya mabelo” entered his skull hence the excrement oozing out of his mouth everyday. And its too rich for Mwaanga who has very little formal education to start calling educated people “uninformed”. He should just go back to school albeit at his late stage in life.
MWATA, CARRY WE IN THE MILLITARY ARE GETTING
This is not news, what happened to the adage that when a dog bites a man thats not news, but let a man bite a dog, then that is news, in this respect news would be “VJ disagrees with the Speaker”!
21 &23 – am so relieved that am not the only one this Mwata cra.zy ars.ehole irritates! He is so full of cr.ap that he now wants to polute others, it doesnt wash! We are too advanced to read his purge, he should get a life. \:d/
I meant 21 & 22 above:d