By Esther Chisola
Lupososhi member of parliament (PF) Emmanuel Mpankata says Zambians are being treated to trash from Parliament on account of Speaker Nelly Mutti’s leadership.
And the High Court has granted leave to apply for judicial review to nine members of parliament who challenged the decision declaring their seats vacant.
Mpankata was one of the nine members of parliament affected by deputy speaker Moses Moyo’s decision to declare the seats vacant, a decision which has now been stayed by the courts.
Speaking with Daily Revelation before the stay was granted, Mpankata said following the Constitutional Court ruling that they were not the right body to preside over the expulsion, Miles Sampa who was responsible for the same expulsions reached out for them to reconcile.
“Sampa came back to us and said ‘guys we are human beings let’s reconcile. What were our differences?’ We find that we can still talk and that’s how they had a meeting with ECL,” Mpankata said. “And that’s how he reversed the decision because Ng’ona and Robert Chabinga wanted … This should have been declared some two weeks ago. But now he said ‘we can’t guys, why are we causing expensive by-elections as a nation?'”
Mpankata said Sampa removed Ng’ona from the position of secretary general for refusing to go along with that position, saying just as Sampa appointed Ng’ona he was also at liberty to fire him.
“So that’s how they were removed him. The Speaker fails to act on that. In the meantime the letters and the court action, that is active in court, where we went to court is with the Speaker sitting in her office,” he said.
He said the amnesty decision by Sampa angered the ruling UPND for parliament to have moved in the manner they did to declare the seats vacant.
He charged that Parliament Speaker Nelly Mutti had destroyed the house.
“After 100 years of existence, this is the trash and the nonsense we are being treated to … This nonsensical leadership. No! That’s not what Zambians want,” he said. “In 1991 we fought for democracy.”
Mpankata urged Mutti to “live to her integrity”, saying she could copy from the other speakers in the region and in the Commonwealth.
Mpankata gave the interview before the court stayed the expulsions yesterday.
Justice Susan Wanjelani’s ruling came after an application and supporting affidavit were filed by Brian Mundubile, on behalf of the other eight parliamentarians.
In the ruling, justice Wanjelani stated that the decision was stayed pending determination of the proceedings.
“The applicants are hereby granted leave to apply for judicial review forthwith. The decision dated 3rd July 2024, made by the second speaker of the National Assembly declaring the nine parliamentary seats vacant, is hereby stayed pending the determination of these proceedings,” stated the court.
The applicants include Stephen Kampyongo, Christopher Kang’ombe, Ronald Kaoma Chitotela, and Remember Chanda Mutale.
Others are Mulenga Francis Fube, Mutotwe Kafwaya, Nickson Chilangwa, and Emmanuel Mpakata Musonda.
The nine contested the decision made on July 3, 2024, by the second speaker of the National Assembly to declare their parliamentary seats vacant.
This stay means that the nine MPs will retain their seats until the court makes a final ruling on the matter.
The decision is a temporary reprieve for the parliamentarians and a crucial step in ensuring their voices are heard in a judicial setting.
