Parliament had to abruptly adjourn sine die after Speaker Patrick Matibini requested for more time to study the Point of Order raised by Mazabuka UPND Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo.
Mr Nkombo had earlier raised a Point of Order on whether the House was in Order to debate a motion on constitutional amendments when there was an active court matter in the High Court bordering on Article 63 of the constitution on debt contraction.
Speaker Matibini was forced to stand down proceedings for more than four hours in order to study the Point of Order.
When business resumed around 18:30 Hours, Dr. Matibini informed the House that he needed more time to study the Point of Order and that he was suspending debate on Bill 10.
At the same time, the Speaker informed the House that following the directives from the Ministry of Health on Coronavirus prevention, he had allowed Vice President Inonge Wina to move a motion to adjourn sine die.
Vice President Inonge Wina moved the motion following a point of Order raised by Muchinga Province Minister Malozo Sichone who wanted to know if the House was in order to continue sitting following the announcement of two COVID 19 cases.
In moving the motion to suspend proceedings of the House, Mrs. Wina said the Members of Parliament are not immune from contracting the virus and must take precautions.
Mrs. Wina said Zambia has recorded two infections and the country needs to make sure that the Statutory Instruments signed by Health Minister are adhered to.
Mrs. Wina’s motion was unanimously supported by the Members from both sides and the House immediately adjourned.
In an eventful day at Parliament, Mazabuka Central MP Garry Nkombo raised an urgent Point of Order requesting the Speaker to make a ruling on whether the Bill 10 debate should proceed when there is a High Court case filed by Former Commerce Minister Dipak Patel challenging the constitutionality of Minister of Finance continued contraction of loans without consulting Parliament.
Mr Nkombo had referred Speaker Patrick Matibini to the matter in which he ruled that Parliament could not hear the impeachment motion against President Edgar Lungu because the matter was before the courts of law.
He challenged Dr Matibini to rule on whether it was in order for Parliament to go ahead and debate the Bill which deals with an Article which is a subject of a court petition in the High Court.
The Point of Order forced Parliament to adjourn abruptly as Speaker Matibini requested for more time to study the Point of Order.
I think Speaker Matibini should first understand his first ruling, lest he is contradicts himself.
I will and won’t stop playing that coronavirus forms a nest in that parliament. Those MPs has being on quarantine and isolated from people who elected them for too long, Turn that parliament into a Coronavirus hospital.
This Cadre/Speaker at one time thought that what’s good for the goose is only good for the goose now time has taught him the reality of the saying “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” His failure to rule was deliberate. Jesus said the following: “with the judgment you are judging, you will be judged, and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you.” Matthew 7:2. Ba Matibini insoni ebuntu, you can even resign to save yourself from further *****ic embarrassment.
Matibini double standards and hypocrisy have been exposed. He just had to take time out, thankfully for him Coronavirus has just arrived on time. Saved by the virus….
its God’s answer to our prayers against this wrong Bill it shall not pass at all
Good job Dipak. And great job Garry. Bill 10 is effectively dead.
I would worry more about the 3 mps that have turned against your satanic demigod and decided not to boycott the debate on Bill 10. These Nkombo point of order and dipak court issues are just a delay on the inevitable…
Selective application of ruling by the speaker. Had the raised point been against the opposition he would have wasted no time in making his ruling.
You are only quoting muchinga province Minister’s point of order of today and conviniently Leaving out the earlier more detailed point of order raised a day earlier by leader of opposition Jack mwimbu. The speaker had committed to making a ruling and he’s ruling coincided with today’s point of order. Regardless, this is right action by Mr speaker, maybe the parliamentarians from both side will sober up as they return to continue the debate on the divisive bill 10!!
Madustbini got a double dose of his own medicine. How ironic is that? A Bells on the house for Dipak and Nkombo.
These thieves are being outsmarted given the same medicine they prescribed to others. What a shame of PF government and trying to bulldoze their way in and out! Well done Gary and Dipak. This bill 10 must fell at all cost.
Looks like high level football being played. It is UEFA. Zambian supper League? Awe
Quick thinking by Gary, to outsmart a crook you have to think like one!!
Life is more valuable than politics and political affairs. Well done speak and our VP. A TRUE MOTHER OF THE NATION who puts others lives first. Thank you. Let Garry continue arguing with himself alone in parliament that is the only thing he is good at.kz
Aren’t you ashamed we chipuba chi Kaiser? You still had to say something even though you have been exposed big time. Have a life you are not young
Kaiser, your brain doesn’t even make a tenth of Garry’s
KZ u r ashamed just admit
KZs comment out of context and just utter pants.
KZs comment out of context and just utter pants. Some times just shut up man.
We have to feel proud of legislators as Gary Nkombo and Dipak Patel for other than their being smart they bring hope and fresh breath in reminding us of the supremacy of the law and need for adherence. Speaker Matibini in all honesty was not ready for what hit him and he is now a troubled soul over the unexpected point of order let’s see how he juggles his balls with this one either way he’s got missiles pointed!
Kill bill 10 at all costs.
Garry has more than often been alert and astute – especially in challenging a regime that is always hell bent on riding roughshod over everyone. A regime that has no regard for the rule of law and actually tries to bend processes to it’s own primitive political and self economic gain expediency. The PF govt. does not even understand ‘precedent’ because it is preoccupied with only the moment and is then caught pants down over it’s own previous decisions.
Upnd has been using courts since August 2016 and have been disappointed more times than not. These are just delaying tactics and Nkombo or dipak are no heroes. What is of concern is the growing number of upnd mps willing to participate in Bill 10.
Bill 10 is doomed! Matibini caught pants down! Ala, bushe te kunya abaBemba bakale baebele uku?
The PF Mafia have bought more time to work behind the scenes. With or without Bill 10 Edgar won’t have it easy next year. Instead of wasting time and money on a useless bill he should be preparing for his retirement. There’s nothing new that he can bring to the table and no one wants to continue with this kaponya leadership
Thank Heavens for sharp MPs like Garry Nkombo. He’s an intelligent Parliamentarian. We anxiously await the ruling. Someone’s hypocrisy will be exposed. Coronavirus disappear fast please!
Bill 10 has coronavirus. It must be thrown away.
GOOD MORNING HON JUSTICE MINISTER.
ITS TIME TO WAKE UP SIR AND ENJOY THE REST.
GOOD MORNING HON JUSTICE MINISTER.
ITS TIME TO WAKE UP SIR AND ENJOY THE REST.
sharp Garry,shame on you ba seaker…just resign!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this virus is slowly becoming a scapegoat.
You play against the system you loose so even if there is an adjournment sine die the program will day come up for debate lets wait and see it is 90 minutes.
Sikufele.learn to read before comentin.if you ask for time to study something it means you want to analyse before making the final decision. As for nkombo he was bizzy askin for the bill to be brought to pariament so that they short it down.what has change now for him to ask for haltin the debate?
The Headline itself is wrong, Honestly did the speaker fail to make a ruling or he asked for time to study the case which is in the courts of Law? Let us be factual in the way we report.In Ruanda it was the media who started the fire which resulted into genocide so be careful country men the way you bring out issues or is it because we have a lot of journalists who are incompetent for their work or may be they are corrupt. We need to come to a point were we can say I love my country Zambia and not to be deceived by cheap politicians.