By Antonio Mwanza, FDD Spokesperson
Article 63 of the Republican Constitution clearly stipulates that Parliament has a noble duty of keeping the Executive arm of Government accountable by overseeing its performance. It goes therefore without saying that MPs must be given ample leverage to probe the Executive and scrutinize it’s dealings without any prohibition. It is for this reason that Members of Parliament enjoy immunity in the House.
It is therefore saddening to note that the Speaker of the House, Dr Patrick Matibini seem to have adopted a policy of curtailing debate whenever opposition MPs put the Executive in a tight corner. His Honor the Speaker must be aware that it is not his duty to shield the Executive from questions rather his role is to allow MPs to freely debate and question Government on all of its dealings.
We want to believe that by curtailing debate whenever the Executive is put under pressure, Mr Speaker is putting his on integrity on the wire for the public is left to wonder where his loyalty lies; is it with the people or it is with the PF? We therefore urge his Honor the Speaker to desist from his tactic of curtailing debate whenever the Executive is held to account.
Opposition UPND Members of Parliament on Friday morning walked out of Parliament in protest against a ruling made by the Speaker Patrick Matibini against Mazabuka MP Garry Nkombo.
This was after the Speaker forced Nkombo to withdraw a question he posed following a Ministerial statement by Housing and Infrastructure Minister Ronald Chitotela.
In his question, Nkombo wanted to dispute Chitotela’s suggestion that the corruption the PF government has been accused of in the road sector was only perception without proven evidence, by reminding him that President Edgar Lungu is on record of having hinted on dismissing corrupt Ministers.
But before Nkombo could justify his argument, Dr Matibini interjected by advising Nkombo not to involve President Lungu in the matter before the House.
Nkombo responded to the Speaker’s guidance by saying he would then withdraw both his question and President Lungu’s suggestion that there are corrupt Ministers in government.
Dr Matibini, however, insisted by ruling that Nkombo does not involve President Lungu in his debate forcing the Mazabuka lawmaker to opt to withdraw the whole question.
It was after this ruling that UPND MPs decided to walk out of the House in protest.
This prompted Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo to rise on a point of order seeking the speaker’s ruling on whether Mr Nkombo was in order to leave the house in the manner he did.
Justice Matibini has since reserved his ruling on the Point of Order.
It is extremely unfortunate that Given Lubinda, a man who is supposed to be a standard bearer of justice and fairness has opted to defend the barbaric and uncalled for behavior of PF cadres who were unleashed by the PF to intimidate and humiliate Madam Linda Kasonde for simply discharging her duties as President of the Law Association of Zambia.
Mr given Lubinda by virtue of his position as Minister of Justice to which LAZ by default belong, as an institution which was established by an Act of Parliament must have come to the defense of LAZ and condemn those cowardly acts of aggression exhibited by the PF cadres. It is actually embarrassing that the man has opted to pander against sound judgment and expected behavior from a man holding such a respectable public office.
This is one of the various reasons why Zambians wanted Ministers to be appointed outside Parliament to ensure the separation of powers and independence of thought in the manner Cabinet Ministers run the affairs of the state.
It is clear that Mr Lubinda has adopted a position that will put him in good standing with the PF leadership since they are the ones who organized and sponsored that attack on Madam Linda.
I mean we all remember that not so long ago, Davies Mwila, the PF Secretary General publicly declared “war” against Madam Linda Kasonde and that is the first sign of the “war”. If you ask the majority of those brothers of mine who were protesting why they were protesting, they will not even be able to explain; they don’t even know what the acronym LAZ stands for or who Ms Linda Kasonde is or what indeed the mandate of LAZ is. They were just taken advantage of their poverty and they were abused for a fee.
Mr Lubinda knows very well that Ms Kasonde’s statements and actions are not from her personal stand point but are actually agreed upon positions by LAZ as an institution and that Ms Kasonde is nothing but simply the mouthpiece of LAZ by virtue of her position as President of the association.
We would wish to encourage Ms Kasonde and the entire LAZ leadership to remain strong and not to give in to intimidation and threats. The only thing that is needed for evil to reign is for good people to keep quite when wrongs are being committed by evil men.
We want those legal brains to remember that they went to school in order to be the light of society hence they should not give up on the people by succumbing to PF’s threats and intimidation. The God of heaven who sees the suffering and hears the mourning of his oppressed children will always protect those who stand for justice, He will always protect those who speak and defend the truth.
Why don’t you become an MP Antonio or go back to your church in Kalulushi as Pastor.
Antonio you are asking a cadre to bite the finger that feeds it, its like asking Pukuta Mwanza to be non partisan. Teti, kadio 1st.
Matibini is PF cadre whose Mission in Parliament is to silence Opposition MPS in return for PF Patronage. Matibini does not understand the roles of the Executive,Parliament and the Judiciary. Matibini neglected his Constitutional Role when he failed to assume the Presidency while the Petition was being heard. Matibini contributed to the Constitutional Crisis that Zambia now faces. Matibini should be careful. Tempers are very high in Zambia and he can precipitate chaos and anrchy in Zambia.
Matibini was unanimously voted for by the opposition to become speaker. What has changed now.
Antonio you are asking a cadre to bite the finger that feeds him, its like asking Pukuta Mwanza to be non-partisan.
Speaker Matibini, was unanimously voted as speaker by both Opposition UPND and PF, so what has made him to be a PF cadre today. For doing the right thing?
UPND existence in this country is a mission of making both this country and Parliament ungovernable, that’s their agenda, which is absolutely nonsensical. Well meaning Zambians should not support such a Party but rather condemn it. Gary Nkombo is naughty and full of hate and himself. He doesn’t even deserve to be a Law Practioner, not at all. Dr Nativities as Speaker has the responsibility to ensure parliament operates within the confines of it’s mandate and not to let anarchists like Nkombo to hijack it.
Viva Dr Matibini.
Replyig to you is a waste of time. I have just wasted a few seconds to tell you that you are an imbecile
You just have to wonder what some people use for thinking as in @kasiii.
We should start voting for the Speaker n Chief Justice just like the President. The idea of the arms of govt is defeated by the fact that the other two are chosen by one of the arms and hence their loyalty is to the executive. If the CJ was elected by the people by now a commission of inquiry on Dora cud have concluded the matter. In any case what is the way forward on Judge Chikopas tribunal?
Indeed, how can the 3 arms of government be independent when 2 are appointed/proposed by 1 arm?
Mr. Antonio Mwanza, I don’t think you are factual enough on the circumstances which led to the speaker to act the way he did. Hon. Nkombo did breach some procedure which the speaker has a duty to enforce. I was following the debate live. Let us be fair to the impartial Speaker. 1. Any MP is forbidden by the rules to debate when it’s clearly not time to. It was time to ask follow up questions after a ministerial statement. Hon. Nkombo was only supposed to ask a follow up question on what was contained in the statement. These are rules set up by Parliament itself. Hon. Nkombo almost started aguing with the Speaker. 2. Hon. Nkombo in the process of trying to debate instead of asking a question, made statements based on what he claimed the President had said somewhere. It is at this stage…