By Agness Changala
Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says Parliament must look into accusations of bias against opposition members seriously.
The organisation is of the view that Parliament should be a place where all elected members of Parliament have the latitude and platform to speak out irrespective of which political affiliation they belong to.
Opposition members of Parliament have been complaining of bias by the Speaker of the National Assembly Nellie Mutti and her counterparts when presiding over debates.
The latest accusation being the incident which occurred on Thursday last week where leader of opposition Brian Mundubile had a confrontation with deputy Speaker Moses Moyo after he was stopped from asserting his role through a point of order.
In an interview with Daily Revelation, SACCORD executive director Boniface Cheembe said Parliament is supposed to be a representative
body of all elected and legitimate members who represent their constituencies.
“Ultimately, it is the people of Zambia who are represented when MPs are given fair platform to debate in the house. Otherwise, if Parliament becomes a place where people or elected members of parliament can’t express themselves, it undercuts the whole essence of being a representative democracy,” Cheembe said. “If at all those allegations are true, it is important that Parliament looks into that and get back and inform the nation on what is going on so that we allow Parliament to be a place for those elected into office to do their work properly. And not to have those elected into office to have grievances and be frustrated in doing their work.”
On Thursday last week, Mudubile rose on a point of order based on;standing order number 44 which talked about duties of the leader of the opposition and Moyo demanded to know who the opposition leader directed his point of order to.
In response, Mundubile said,” he was asserting his role as leader of opposition.
But Moyo said Mundubile’s point of order would not admitted and ordered him to sit after which he called upon Kamfinsa member of Parliament Christopher Kangombe to proceed with his debate. At this
point, Mundubile who was visibly upset, accused the speaker of causing problems in the house.
“You are causing a problem now in the house. For as long as you allow those to speak, there is going to be a problem here, we are ready to be punished Mr. Speaker. We will not continue with this. My members
can’t speak. No we can’t continue like this,” Mundubile complained. “No we can’t allow this. This is a house of order. I am ready to face the consequences on behalf of my members we cannot continue like this.”
At this point, Moyo ordered the Sargent at Arms to eject the leader of opposition from the house.
When Mundubile left the house, some his members also got up and followed him outside.
