By Agness Changala and Isaac Zulu
PF member Chishimba Kabwili says he is extremely shocked that Clerk of National Assembly Roy Ngulube, who is a lawyer can say precedence was followed in accepting the appointment of Mafinga Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga as leader of opposition as opposed to the Constitution.
And former Matero Member of Parliament Fustina Sinyangwe says Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti should make an introspection on the happenings in Parliament.
Addressing the media at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Kambwili said it is disappointing that both Ngulube and Mutti have failed to follow the law.
“I am extremely shocked that a Clerk of the National Assembly, a lawyer, can write to say no precedent has been given that they have just been informed by Secretary Generals of the Party. Now look, if somebody steals and you go and steal, can you give an excuse that because even that one stole so even me I have stolen?” he asked.
He said if there have been mistakes in the past and now that the mistakes have come to light, one must stop them.
“But how do lawyers, the Clerk of the National Assembly is a lawyer, the Speaker of the National Assembly is a lawyer. You have been reminded that what you have been doing is wrong, can you do the right thing, you say no you are going to stick to tradition against the provision of the Constitution fisela ifyo, mangalo ayo (those are games). To borrow the words of Hakainde Hichilema I think Kutumpa. That’s the right word,” Kambwili said. You cannot continue perpetuating an illegality and you even go and write a letter and say no, yes we are aware of the provision Article 74 but this has been the tradition.”
He wondered what was more important between tradition and legal provision.
“Certainly the Constitution is above all other aspects, including tradition. You cannot say I will abrogate the Constitution because there is a tradition. Then you must be what Hakainde Hichilema says ati kutumpa (stupid) that is the proper ukutumpa and this must come to an end,” he said.
Kambwili said if the Clerk of the National Assembly and Speaker can answer like that, then one should know that even the suspensions of MPs were based on nothing but illegalities.
He further said it is wrong to suspend MPs during the sitting of the budget. “Mwebana Zambia namipapata imeni (get up). Look at the circus we watched yesterday. Approval of the budget two, three UPND MPs speak and they pass the budget. I have never seen that. I have been in that house for three terms. One day to pass it. Sometimes it takes two days because you must be critic, you must look at the figures, evaluate the figures, and attack the policy. If that’s what you call Zambians’ approval of the budget you have lost it,” Kamwbili said.
He accused the UPND of hiding a lot of figures and that the suspension of MPs was well planned.
“They wanted to intimidate and provoke members of parliament so that they suspend them and pass a budget that will not stand the test of time,” Kambwili said.
He said Zambians trusted President Hakainde Hichilema but he was letting them down.
“What you are doing, stop it my brother. There is always room for change. Stop it before it’s too late. You cannot approve a budget with one political party only the UPND. What kind of budget is that?” he asked.
He said he remembered UPND members misbehaved during the previous regime by refusing to attend the official opening of Parliament by the President Edgar Lungu and they were not suspended during the budget.
“They did not suspend them during the sitting of the budget because they wanted them to participate in the approval of the budget. So that it stands as the budget of the people of Zambia through elected representatives who are MPs. Now you allow the budget to be approved… yourselves, you take a budget and approve it yourselves as a government. You call that an approved budget. What is wrong, what is wrong with Nelly Mutti, what is wrong with Roy? What is wrong with the leader of the government? You can’t suspend MPs during the budget,” he said.
He said budget approval and legislation period are two critical times you can’t suspend MPs.
“During this time, you cannot suspend members of parliament because whatever you are going to do will not have legitimacy so people of Zambia, they have suspended them for 30 days by the time they return, the budget would have been approved. This is not a budget representing the people of Zambia, it is a budget for the UPND and they are hiding figures in there,” said Kambwili.
And Sinyangwe said the suspension of 19 MPs is unprecedented, hence the need for Mutti to make an introspection on what is going on in the house.
Meanwhile, the traditional leader said Parliamentary proceedings where MPs appear to be divided will ultimately, divide tribes and constituencies
