By KETRA KALUNGA
WE have no regrets for being suspended from parliament because we acted to defend the constitution, Patriotic Front Members of Parliament have said.
Suspended MPs in defending their action said they protested against the budget debate on head 101 in December last year because it was against the constitution as it was drawn from an old document.
Chawama MP, Tasila Lungu Mwansa said she had no regrets for being suspended for defending the constitution because one cannot operate outside of the law of the land.
Chilubi MP Mulenga Fube said he was more resolved to defend the constitution every time it was abused in parliament even when it meant being suspected.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Attractor Chisangano on March 15 suspended PF MPs for 30 days which ended on April 13 for breaching parliamentary privileges citing section 22 of the Powers and Privileges Act. Ms Mwansa said in an interview that being suspended to defend the constitution was the right thing to do because Zambians sent them to parliament to protect the law and that was what they did with no regrets.
“We defended the constitution, it was the right thing to do, you cannot operate outside of the constitution, people send us to parliament to defend the constitution and that is what we did so no regrets,” Ms Mwansa said. Mr. Fube said he was more resolved to defend the constitution whenever it was abused in parliament because it was his mandate as a law maker.
He said in an interview that the suspension would not in any way make him stop from doing what was right.
Mr. Fube said it was the mandate of every Zambian to defend the constitution whenever it was abused even when it meant losing certain privileges because that was paramount and showed patriotism.
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