Parliament adjourned prematurely on Tuesday evening following a series of points of order raised by at least four opposition Members of Parliament, who sought rulings from the Speaker on whether the Chief Whip, Yamfwa Mukanga, was in order to constantly allow Cabinet Ministers absenteeism to continue unabated.
MPs indicated that sitting after sitting, the majority of the Ministers abscond themselves from the House without the Chief Whip providing any explanation despite numerous points of orders on the matter.
During Tuesday’s sitting, points of orders on the same concern were raised by Gwembe MP, Brian Ntundu, Sinda MP, Levy Ngoma, Chipata Central MP, Mtolo Phiri, and Solwezi Central MP, Lucky Mulusa, who sought explanations on why the Ministers must stay away from such important debates such as the President’s State of the Nation Address.
This is unprecedented in the history of Parliament where Parliament’s business has had to be curtailed as a result of lack of seriousness from the ruling party.
Meanwhile, despite the MPs demanding an explanation, the Chief Whip remained mute as the reason for the absence would not have gone down well with Parliamentarians.
Reliable sources from within the PF indicate that the reason the entire government was missing was that they had gone to deal with issues surrounding the embattled PF Secretary General Winter Kabimba.
The only Cabinet Ministers available were; Minister for Defence, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, Minister for Education, John Phiri, and Minister for Works and Supply, Transport, and Telecommunications, who is also, Chief Whip, Yamfwa Mukanga.
The rest were absent, some together with their deputy Ministers thus making debate of the President’s speech an academic exercise.
In total less than 33 MPs from the government were present out of a possible total of 85 comprising ministers appointed from the opposition, nominated MPs, and PF MPs.
Source: Zambia reports
there’s no business of late,apart from show casing there dancing styles in bars
Just yesterday Mwansa Kapeya in typical ifyabukaya comical fashion issued a statement claiming that the Kabimba confusion is not affecting government in any way.What a circus/.
I guess this shows how much mettle this Kabimba chap has in PF, and just how much of a headache he is to Sata.
It is usually a ploy to avoid answering difficult questions raised by the opposition.
Oh really ? Quite interesting.Anyway let them deal with the kabimba issue coz i`m tired of the story.The president`s speech can wait for now.
Is it true that 25 out of 35 PF cabinet ministers has dental facts that their teething started from the top??
Nostradamus hahahahahahahahaha Wanisekesa iwe mufela. The ones that stood while on their mothers backs at the age of one LOL.
On top of that, they find parliament extremely boring since they have no idea what the relevance of parliament is. They however have stated that the fun part of being in parliament is getting to shout ‘YA YA YA’. It makes their day, sources said.
Its YA YA YA YA…………… lol naunsekesha
Mr Speaker Sir ,point of order YAYAYAYAYA…………………………….
The presidents speech was hollow,so even the pf guys have nothing to debate.The Kabimba issue does not require the whole Cabinet.After all Kabimba is a gonner!!
You would have moved a motion of impeachment or dissolved yourselves. within 90 days we would had general elections.
We said that these PF in fighting is affecting the development programs. Alas this man refused. You see now??????
Suspended them.
@Hammer,
Yes indeed, time is ripe for dissolution of parliament to pave way for fresh general elections.
Where is the Money for a national general election going to mysteriously materialize from? This is time for the opposition to make themselves stronger on the ground and institute developmental and moral ground structures. Wisdom is foresight 20/20, not costly general elections.
The country needs political cleansing starting with sata the king of confussion followed by PF all these political cobwebs called PF MPs
The Government business is subject to the Party business. After all what the Presido said is nothing new. It was all BUFI why debate it. If they attach that importance they should have been the ones complaining the walk outs of opposition MP. I miss dora in parliament she could have raise her middle fingers because that is what it is with this embalmed government.
I was disappointed,the kalomo mp had to stop debating,coz the house could not make a column
You mean quorum. Since the head is rotten, the whole body (Ministers, MPs ) cannot function..
It’s ‘Quorum’
How high is this column usually? Or do you mean quorum? Anyway, it is a shame that most MPs are vying for ministerial positions so they can literally abuse their parliamentary obligations. I hope the new constitution has addressed this. We must have ministers from outside who will attend parliament to answer to queries leveled at them.
Quorum!!!!!?
I blame the opposition. I have said it before and I will say it again. Every Jill and Jack now knows that the PF is up to no good and has failed to run this country. In this regard, I once again call on the opposition Parties to move a ‘NO CONFIDENCÉ MOTION’ in the HOUSE. For the country’s sake, you have numbers and people on your side. What are you waiting for or what are you scared of?
That is it. Even all the other nations would have supported them. I wish i was there.
Bwana they dont have numbers. This requires 2/3 majority and the opposition does not have those numbers. Further more some MPs are puppets of the ruling party therefore they would automatically reduce the numbers.
@ Sikufele
I think being in opposition is a big ailment ,sickness or Malady.
One day you will even oppose a medical Doctor diagonising you with diarrhea. you will say it is porridge .
PF govt have put in their best to bring this country on rails but your eyes are blind ed with your Egos.Even your Mps who represent you are hollow and are their in parliament to oppose and say YA YAYAYAYA.
No wonder HEMCS said there is no opposition.
Cut my dick the police are not going to give you are permit for your planned rally because it is not making sense together with the Theme.
But where is the president? Does he really care about Zambia any more?
I dont think he cares about anything. If he cared for Zambia and his own health, he would abdicate and attend to his health and Zambia would have a president who would concentrate his energies at serving the country. A president who every time he is abroad, goes AWOL trying to secretly have himself attended to.
Minister for Works and Supply, Transport, and Telecommunications
what a name, or is it an article!? only in PF do such miracles happen…
If you remember very well Sata combined the ministries in his quest to have a small cabinet then went on to appoint40 plus deputy ministers.What a comedy.
Fellow Zambians, this is why we need to have Ministers appointed from outside Parliament. You see, these guys at the moment have two jobs, two salaries and several allowances and therefore do not care. Let the jobs be shared. Parliamentarians should be full-time parliamentarians while Cabinet Ministers should be full-time Cabinet Ministers. In the current arrangement Cabinet can only meet on Mondays when Parliament is not sitting. If Cabinet Ministers were not members of parliament they would concentrate on implementing govt policies and they would take this job very seriously as they would be monitored by both parliament and the head of State. We do not vote for people to become Ministers but to be MPs who will represent us in parliament full-time. No need to cross to the ruling party.
No. What we want is Pro-Fools to go.
@Sikufele,
What are the numbers in parliament for you to imagine that such a vote would have a chance of going through?????
PF sort out this mess,consult widely,deal with all pending issues and move the party 4ward.well done on so far at this pace here in Livingstone you have everybodies support.
It is “everybody’s” not “everybodies”.
There they GO AGAIN. The AUTHOR of all confusions in Zambia. Theirs is just to cheat, steal and drill others and that makes Parliament very boring.
This useless assembly of men in politics just for their belly should be renamed the 2011 election disaster parliament.
Column, how sad, typical of UPNd cadres like Proud!!!1
Chimbwili.was.spotted.in luanshya , with what looked like two mpatamato prostitutes feeding his cows by the golf club….apparently boasting as to how he has the biggest piece of real estate luanshya.
hmmmm!
It is fine even if the ministers are not there. It just shows that under PF the Zambian parliament is just a joke.
pf is heading no where. ryt frm inception they hav never botherd to giv national direction. i wonder!
tamanga tamanga!!!!
we lalila lila shiiiiiii
you made the bird now you better sleep on it.