By OLIVER SAMBOKO
EMBATTLED independent Member of Parliament for Lumezi, Munir Zulu has protested his suspension from the National Assembly, stating that the Speaker exceeded her powers when she slapped a 30-day suspension on him.
Mr Zulu was suspended for using unparliamentarily language by stating that everyone in the house shaves their pubic hair. This was during a motion he moved urging the government to abolish the position of District Commissioners.
According to correspondence by Mr Zulu to the Speaker of the National Assembly, he stated that his suspension was in total disregard of the provision of standing order 209.
He also stated that the Speaker failed to take into consideration that at the time he (Zulu) was winding up debate, he was asked to withdraw the unparliamentary words but that before he could do so, the MP for Mwembeshi stood on a point of order.
Mr Zulu also contended that before his suspension, he was not accorded an opportunity to withdraw the remarks.
He said he never meant to insult or disrespect anyone by uttering the words he was suspended for.
