By GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA
UPND Choma Central Member of Parliament Cornelius Mweetwa has taken the battle against the Speaker to Court where he is seeking an order that the pending disciplinary actions against him are illegal.
Mr Mweetwa is scheduled to appear for a disciplinary hearing today, according to court papers.
But Mr Mweetwa wants the Lusaka High Court’s declaration that the ruling of the Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini dated July 10, this year in which he found the petitioner out of order, in breach of parliamentary privilege and in contempt of the House is null and void ab initio by reason of it being in breach of the fundamental freedoms enjoyed by the him under Articles 11 (b), 18,20 and 21.
He is seeking an order striking down section 3, 11 and 22 of the National Assembly Powers and Privileges Act.
He also wants the Court to order that the pending disciplinary actions against the petitioner are illegal by reason of being in violation of Articles 11 (b), 18, 20 and 21.
In this matter, Mr Mweetwa has cited the Attorney General Likando Kalaluka as the respondent.
In his petition filed in the Lusaka High Court yesterday, Mr Mweetwa stated that on July 10, 2020, the Speaker rendered a ruling on the point of order raised by Ms Jean Kapata that he allegedly attacked the persona of the Vice President Ms Inonge Wina on the a diamond Television program and found the petitioner to have been out of order, in breach of Parliamentary privilege and in contempt of the House and therefore decided to admonish him as punishment for the same.
He however declined to apologise for the same because he believes that his (Mr Mweetwa) reaction to the statement by the Vice president was in enjoyment of his freedom of expression, assembly and association as guaranteed in the Republican Constitution.
Mweetwa challenges Speaker’s decision
