Wed, 14 Jun 2017 10:51:17 +0000
By CHARLES MUSONDA
THE suspension of 48 UPND MPs from the National Assembly has been applauded by different sections of society with the MMD advising the opposition lawmakers to be serious and not use Parliament as a playground.
Patriotic Front Chief Whip Richard Musukwa described the ruling as the manifestation of the impartiality of the office of the Speaker. He pointed out that although the ruling party had six rulings that went against them, they respected the outcome.
“We are not like our friends who only think democracy works when they win and cry foul when they are on the losing side,’’ he said.
And lawyer Hobday Kabwe says Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini’s decision to suspend the MPs demonstrates that Zambia’s governance system is anchored on the rule of law.
Meanwhile, New Congress Party (NCP) president Pastor Peter Chanda has welcomed the suspension, saying it is a wakeup call for UPND MPs to be mature and stop treating Parliament as a playground for jokers.
MMD National Secretary Raphael Nakacinda said it was amazing that the UPND had a leader of the opposition in the House in Jack Mwiimbu, a lawyer who should have guided his party.
“The detailed ruling that the Speaker has delivered today needs to be published for everybody to see. Parliament has decided for the first time to set a precedent by applying the law holistically and set a standard for posterity’s sake. We will begin to see sanity restored in our nation especially for those of us who are called to leadership,” Mr. Nakacinda said.
He added: “That is a landmark ruling which all of us as Zambians must be proud of in terms of setting the right precedent for this country in terms of our conduct as politicians and leaders who offer ourselves for service.
“We are not celebrating that they have been stripped of certain privileges they enjoy as MPs but we endorse the fact that we have a very sound and all-encompassing ruling that is also a lecture even to those who are big-headed,” he said.
And Mr. Kabwe said the suspension was commendable because it underscored the fact that Zambia was under the rule of law and not the rule of men.
“What those people have been doing is an affront to the rule of law. Parliamentary rules and regulations are clear on what MPs ought to do. They were doing things to appease one man but the Speaker merely followed the rules and that is commendable,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pastor Chanda said Parliament was not there for jokers but to conduct serious business that concerned Zambian people’s welfare.
“The President deserves respect because he was elected and given the mandate to preside over national affairs. Therefore, the decision by the Speaker is a good lesson and we anticipated a stiffer penalty of about six months’ suspension.
