By Isaac Zulu
Former Patriot Front Matero member of parliament Faustina Sinyangwe has said that the Speaker of the National Assembly should have considered the moral aspect before suspending 30 PF members of parliament.
Speaking with Daily Revelation over the recent suspension of 30 PF members of parliament for 30 days without pay by the first Deputy Speaker of National Assembly, Sinyangwe, in an interview, explained that this is the first time that such a big number of parliamentarians are being suspended for breaching Parliamentary Privileges in the history of Zambia’s National Assembly.
She said that the decision that has been taken by the first Deputy Speaker of National Assembly will deny the electorate an opportunity to be effectively represented in the House by their respective members of parliament from their respective constituencies.
“This is the first time in the history of Zambia’s National Assembly where the Speaker of National Assembly has suspended such a big number of MPs at once. They initially suspended nine members of parliament, then 30 members of parliament. In total, 39 constituencies have been affected by this decision. It is unprecedented,” said Sinyangwe. “The presiding officers at National Assembly should have taken into consideration the plight of the electorate where these parliamentarians are coming from before arriving at such a decision. The decision by the Speaker of National Assembly will deny the electorate an opportunity to be represented effectively by their respective lawmakers. The aspect of morality should have taken precedence. Mind you, this the time that parliamentarians are supposed to be debating the President’s speech that was recently delivered in Parliament. So this should have provided an opportunity for the sitting government to hear the concerns of opposition members of parliament on the Presidential speech.”
The former Matero parliamentarian said that, in as much as the lawmakers might have contravened some Parliamentary Privileges, there was need for the presiding officers at National Assembly to do an introspection on the decisions that they make in the House.
“In as much as these presiding officers at National Assembly have the privilege to make such sanctions, they need to do some profound introspection on the decisions that they make,” said Sinyangwe.
She recalled that when she served as member of parliament, the UPND members of parliament engaged in protests more than any other political parties.
“I used to be member of parliament and when the UPND was in opposition, I used to see the UPND members of parliament walking out of Parliament on several occasions. The UPND members of parliament staged Parliamentary protests more than any other political parties,” said Sinyangwe.
