PARLIAMENT yesterday reprimanded Munali MP Mumbi Phiri and ordered her to pay K250,000 for claiming that MPs were getting a lot of money

Ms Phiri was also reprimanded for saying that she was misled into voting for the increase in emoluments for constitutional office holders through an electronic system.

This followed a point of order raised by Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice– President, Gaston Sichilima on November 25, 2008 against Ms Mumbi over her allegations on MUVI television where she stated that MPs were getting a lot of money.

During a programme on the television station, Ms Phiri had stated that she was misled into voting for the increase in emoluments for constitutional office holders by the electronic mode of voting.

The remarks by Ms Phiri prompted Mr Sichilima to raise a point of order claiming that it was not appropriate for the MP to claim that she was misled into voting for the motion by the electronic system particularly that the Speaker had taken time to enlighten the MPs on how the system worked.

Following the point of order, deputy chairperson of committees of the House Mkhondo Lungu said that the earlier ruling by Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa regarding MPs debating matters discussed in the House outside was still valid.

Mr Lungu said that since he was not privy to the tape on which Ms Phiri made the allegations, he could not make a concrete ruling and would therefore seek time to ask the committee on privileges to handle the matter.

In their findings, the committee discovered that Ms Phiri abrogated the privileges of Parliament by discussing issues debated in the House outside.

The committee also found that Ms Phiri lied by stating that she was not conversant with the electronic mode of voting when the Speaker had enlightened the members on how the system worked.

The committee, however, considered that since Ms Phiri was a first offender, Parliament should exercise maximum leniency on her.

In her ruling, deputy Speaker Mutale Nalumango ordered that Ms Phiri pay K250,000, the money that National Assembly paid to MUVI TV to view the tape and reprimanded her, telling her never to abrogate parliamentary privileges again.

In her apology, Ms Phiri said that she was sorry for bringing the name of the House into disrepute and pledged to abide by parliamentary procedure.

FORMER Finance and National Planning minister, Ng’andu Magande has said that he was not involved in any clandestine activities involving the issue of Zambian Airways while he was minister.

Mr Magande said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that he was ready to answer queries from the police and other relevant agencies on the matter.

He said he would cooperate with the security agencies that had instituted investigations on the matter as he had nothing to hide. He said he was ready to do so even by yesterday.

“I am ready to give information on the matter at any time, even today,” he said.
Mr Magande said that he did not have any personal interest in Zambian Airways apart from the fact that he was a minister in a Government which was encouraging investments, especially by indigenous people.

He was reacting to President Rupiah Banda who said on Thursday that he had information that the Post Newspapers had wanted Mr Magande to stand as presidential candidate last year because he had promised to write off Zambian Airways debts.

Mr Banda had said: “I have a document to prove that Magande was going to allow them to get away with this money. The Post has attacked me from the time that you chose me as presidential candidate up to the time I became the president.”

But Mr Magande said that was not true and volunteered to give information on the matter, adding that if he was involved in any underhand activities he could not have been kept by late president Levy Mwanawasa.

Mr Magande hoped that even President Banda should be given a chance to be cross-examined on the matter.

[Times of Zambia]

The MMD has distanced it self from party members engaged in business transactions with government ministries using the name of the party.

Meanwhile the Police Service has received correspondence from the opposition PF regarding payments made to MMD members at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

MMD National Secretary, Katele Kalumba, has directed the party’s treasury to study the allegations and subsequently submit a detailed report to his office.

Dr. Kalumba said in a statement on Thursday that the report will then be submitted to the acting party president for action.

He said the MMD does not use its influence to help party members or supporters to gain advantage in their business transactions.

Dr. Kalumba said persons who support the MMD do so because they share the party’s ideological positions on good governance, economic empowerment of citizens, poverty reduction and the fight against corruption.

MMD deputy national Secretary, Jeff Kaande, is reported to have written to Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Susan Sikaneta, asking her to pay over K1 billion to seven food suppliers who had pledged financial support to the ruling party.

ZNBC

Chief Justice, Ernest Sakala, has constituted a four member tribunal to probe alleged abuse of office and corruption against Transport and Communications Minister, Dora Siliya.

The tribunal to be chaired by Justice, Dennis Chirwa, from the Supreme Court, starts sittings on March, 2 at the Supreme Court.

Other members of the tribunal are Justice, Peter Chitengi from the Supreme Court and Justice Hamaundu from the High Court.

Deputy Director of the subordinate courts, Maka Phiri, will be the secretary.

This is contained in a statement issued to ZNBC news by Registrar and Director of court operations, Mwamba Chanda.

The proceedings of the tribunal will be open to the public.

The setting up of the tribunal follows a petition to the Chief Justice by former Transport and Communications Minister, William Harrington.

He had petitioned to investigate Ms. Siliya for allegedly breaching the parliamentary and ministerial code of conduct Act.

Civil society organisations also presented a petition to the Chief Justice over the manner in which Ms. Siliya engaged RP Capital Partners of Cayman Island to value Zamtel assets.
/ZNBC/NEWS

President Rupiah Banda said  he has documents proving that former finance Minister, Ng’andu Magande, was going to allow Mr. Mmembe and his colleagues to get away with the debt.

He said the Post Newspaper had opted for the candidature of Mr. Magande during the October 30, 2008 presidential election so that he could cancel the loan.

The President said this when he addressed thousands of MMD cadres who matched to State House on Thursday in a show of solidarity with his leadership.

Mr. Banda also said he will not be compelled to act against the media by questionable persons at the Post Newspaper.

He said the Post which has been attacking him will only be closed by the huge debt owed to various public institutions.

Mr  Banda has demanded that Zambian Airways settles the 29 million US dollars debt it owes various public institutions.

Mr. Banda says the money could help build a number of schools and hospitals to serve the people.

The President says he was not there when Post Newspaper Editor, Fred M’membe, and his colleagues borrowed money to invest in the closed Airline.

/ZNBC/NEWS