By Isaac Zulu
Vice President Mutale Nalumango has said that there is no transgression or breach of the Constitution either by the UPND or the Electoral Commission of Zambia for proceeding with the Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections.
Nalumango was responding to leader of opposition in the House Brian Mundubile during the Vice President’s Question Time in Parliament on Friday and Lunte member of parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya; among other Patriot Front members of parliament, who accused the UPND administration and the Electoral Commission of Zambia for allegedly breaching the Constitution and ignoring the Court ruling regarding the two parliamentary by-elections.
Mundubile charged that the UPND government has obliterated Zambia’s Constitutional democracy and has diluted and compromised the operations of the Electoral Commission of Zambia, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Drug Enforcement Commission.
Mundubile, who is also Mporokoso (PF) member of parliament, said that under the UPND administration, Zambia’s democracy is losing credibility in the eyes of the international community and wanted to know what the UPND government is doing to restore that credibility.
In response Nalumango said that under the UPND administration institutions of governance such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Courts of Law are operating autonomously, without any political interfere.
“That decision was based on the ruling by the Court ruling that the by-elections can now proceed. The Electoral Commission of Zambia is currently operating autonomously, within the confines of the law and without political interfere. And that is why they initially suspended the two parliamentary by-elections,” Nalumango said. “Therefore, there is no transgression or breach of the Constitution by the UPND administration or the Electoral Commission of Zambia to proceed with the Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections. There is no transgression.”
She dispelled assertions that the UPND administration has obliterated Zambia’s Constitutional democracy.
Nalumango said that the UPND government is committed to promoting democracy and the rule of law, saying that can be “attested by the way Courts of Law are discharging their duties professionally and independently.”
“The Courts of Law are not compromised and they are carrying out their duties professionally and independently. There is no compromise,” Nalumango said. “And that is why some of you colleagues have continued rushing to the Courts to seek recourse. People now have confidence in the Courts and other institutions of governance. They are enjoying the rule of law in a Constitutional democracy.”
And Nalumango reassured the nation that government will distribute farming inputs on time.
“I am told so 30 per cent of fertiliser has been distributed. Government is on course to delivering farming inputs,” she said.
Nalumango also reminded parliamentarians that there are no permanent positions in Parliament, saying it is for this reason that they should endeavour to do the right thing.
“Opposition MPs are part of governance except that they are coming from opposition political parties. And when you are in government do the right thing and endeavour to set a good precedent… there are no permanent positions in Parliament,” said Nalumango.
