By Isaac Zulu
PF central committee chairman for information and publicity Raphael Nakachinda has refused to apologise before the Speaker of National Assembly after being found guilty of breaching Parliamentary privileges and contempt of Parliament.
This is in relation to a point of order raised by Kalabo member of parliament Dr Christopher Kalila who asked if Nakachinda was in order to issue a statement against the Speaker of National Assembly that was published in the Daily Nation newspaper in which Nakachinda asserted that Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti conducted Parliamentary business in a manner that is not impartial.
Nakachinda’s matter was then tabled before the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges, which summoned Dr Kalila, the executive editor of Daily Nation and Nakachinda.
However, Nakachinda refused to avail himself before the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges.
After getting submissions from the parties involved, the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges recommended that Nakachinda was in breach of Parliamentary privileges and his statement was contemptuous against the Speaker of National Assembly and Parliament, at large, and should therefore be reprimanded.
Delivering her ruling in Parliament on the matter on Friday, Speaker Mutti, who made reference to a number of authorities regarding the conduct and decorum of Parliament, said that a private citizen’s right to comment on Parliamentary proceedings has limitations.
She said the statement by Nakachinda was asserting that the Speaker was carrying out her Parliamentary functions in a manner that is not impartial, which she said brought her name and Parliament into ridicule and disrepute.
The Speaker also said that the conduct by Nakachinda is not befitting a person who once served as a back bencher and a minister.
She then ordered Nakachinda to render an apology before the House.
But despite being guided to proceed and apologise, Nakachinda refused to comply and instead started raising preliminary issues.
“Mr Nakachinda since you have refused to comply, I order that you leave the House. National Assembly staff will know what to do with you,” said Mutti.
And before proceeding with the business of the House, Home Affairs and Internal Security minister Jack Mwiimbu expressed displeasure with the conduct by Nakachinda.
“I am very disgusted with what has just transpired in this August House this morning. This is unacceptable and should not repeat itself,” said Mwiimbu.
