The Zambia Centre for Inter Party Dialogue (ZCID) has advised opposition members of parliament (MPs) to find amicable means of airing their grievances other than resolving to boycotts.
ZCID Acting Executive Directive Horrace Chilando who was commenting on the decision by opposition MMD and UPND MPs to walk out of parliament yesterday said such a move was retrogressive as it might cost the country.
He explained that past experience have seen that some important bills and laws have still been passed in the National Assembly even after some MPs walk out of the house.
He advised the MPs to follow procedures when handling issues that they could be dissatisfied with during the sittings in parliament.
Mr. Chilando said this in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He has however stated that the decision the opposition MPs took was within their democratic rights as they wanted to express how they felt about certain issues.
“What the Members of Parliament did yesterday is however within their democratic rights as they wanted to show the public that they are not happy with certain decisions in the house” he said.
Mr. Chilando has further advised the MPs not to shun the United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s addressed to the house when he comes to Zambia tomorrow.
He said the MPs should instead use this opportunity to address certain issues of concerns to the country.
He also appealed to all MPs to be level headed and put the country as top agenda before any other thing.
Mr. Chilando stated that MPs should ensure that they make decisions that will benefit the majority of Zambians who voted them into office.
Opposition MMD and UPND MPs yesterday walked out of parliament after accusing government of constitutional breaches.
This was after the MPs were not satisfied with the decision speaker Patrick Matibini made in the two points of order raised by UPND MPs.
ZANIS
Good advice ZCID. Boycotts have never yielded anything in Zambia. Ask UNIP about this and they will advise against boycotts because they have a bad experience.
Good advise we voted for you to discuss issues there. Dont show your cowardness. If you walk away dont come to people to vote for you again. The entire elders leave parliament Why? Mulibe ne soni. COWARD MPS
No. 1 and ZCID
Do you know anything about quorums is parliament? Without that no bill can be passed into law.
“he also advised to all mps to be level headed and put the country as top agenda before any other thing.” thats what we have all along been advising these dunderheads masquerading as mps that zambia is not pf, mmd, upnd, fdd and the rest. its bigger than you guys. you happen to be there because of us and we expect you to champion our cause(s) in this case, our well being and not your own foolish agendas. for now, pf is in power, support them make our lives better instead of fighting them. we need a better zambia and we can only achieve that goal by working together. period.
Its about numnbers, how can it be posible?
‘This was after the MPs were not satisfied with the decision speaker Patrick Matibini made in the two points of order raised by UPND MPs.’
What do you expect from a speaker who is a known PF cadre and M’membe appointee as well as Nchito partner?
Shut up!
MMD was in power for 20 years, let’s not fool ourselves, they never want Zambia to develop because it will be against their wish. They just want Zambia backward as they did. Let them walk away and constructive bills will be passed without them. Their hate and corruption will take them nowhere in Zambia. Walking away is not a solution but a problem. So they are a problem because they cannot believe that they lost the election.
MCS was part of the MMD for 10 yrs of the 20yrs. WHat has changed? These people are the same. Be it pf or mmd; it is only the name of the party that changes and not the individual.
This protest was meant to show the speaker that Parliament is not his alone imwe mbuzi.
That is the way Mr Chilando these MPs must not forget that they were voted by the Zambians and to represent them and in boycotting we Zambians shall not benefit.show respect to the speaker.it is not all answers will come your way expect even the opposite ones.
they should also boycott Ban Ki Moon’s address..it won’t bring any difference to us apart from recognizing gay rights!!which PF supports..
Its a protest not a boycot
sheik#7 which MMD are you refering to ,the people who were in MMD in 1991 are mostly not in leadership any more.Ofcourse there are prominent people like Michael Sata who are still there under a different name. Lets not generalise…I think from 1991 to 2001 majority of Zambians were MMD.
I thought for a bill to be passed it should be supported by a two-thirds majority. PF does not have such numbers. Sorry I forgot that in Zambia, especially under PF anything and everything is possible.
That is why we voted for them that they should protest at anything which is not right. A good way of showing displeasure.You people start advising the president on how best he can run this country,otherwise it is just time and you will appreciate what the opposition are doing.
@12 Liam?? And the MMD MPs in parliament who walked away?? Fact of the matter is that they never have facts for their action; did you read the article as to why they walked away?? 2nd Deputy Minister in defense appointed to concentrate on rural development?? What’s wrong with that?? Let them get serious because they will deliver nothing in their constituencies, which will lead to them losing next election. Let them grow up.
What rubbish reasoning from ZCID this is.Its the cause of the protest which you are supposed to criticize.Not the protestants.Unless you are saying constitutional breaches are acceptable?
HH told you people that Matibini is the most useless speaker of the national assemnly so far and you called him names. Now it has been brought out in day light so go ahead and insult the parliamentarians for exposing this impartial person of a speaker. HH must be having the last laugh now.
Africa and Zambia in particular MUST Demand Ban Moon on the power of VOTE FOR AFRICA in the Security council….Africa is a vast continent that deserves the VOTE power. But why these double standards by UN. On Human rights,let moon explain the double standards on why NATO is quick on Libya not Syria, Sudan or economic intervention in Greece….if he has failed Africa in so many human rights violations and Sovereignity of states,what sense is he coming for to Zambia? Is it the Gay rights? Moon is a puppet of USA and Europe,let him prove otherwise . [email protected]
They can simply stop a bill by voting.
Iwe Chilando, where were you when PF caused K4bn to be spent unnecessarily in Msanzala? Now you are talking? If PF can run Parliament without opposition MPs then what is your problem? Then let PF do as they please. You are a stunted kolwe!
People you should understand why Sata has given positions to OPPOSITION MPS. It is just simply to have the numbers when it comes to passing bills. He has again beaten the opposition. He is too clever for them. therefore, bills will pass without the opposition.
# 15 SHEIKH. Be objective in your assessment. The main pont of objection and walk out by Opposition MPs is the Republican Constitution being breached by president Sata. If you are well informed with Mr Sata’s rule, numerous breaches to the rule of law have been committed and if you are honest to yourself, we don’t need to go through the list. Those lapses in presidental powers above the law is what made people like Idi Amin, Bokassa, Hitler etc as they considered themselves above the law. Even where laws are passed because of walk outs as a legitimate protest is part of dictatorial moves to easily pass laws. That should worry the govt of the day more than opposition because the public is aware of PF moves and a legacy will remain as a dictator govt in Zambia for future records.