Lumezi Member of Parliament Munir Zulu has been suspended from Parliament for threatening to grab The Speakers’ Mace which the Sergeant-at-Arms was holding.

The Speakers’ Mace at Sergeant-at-Arms is a symbol of the authority of The Speaker.

Mr Zulu’s suspension from Parliament for 1O days is a result of gross misconduct, indiscipline and disrespecting The Speaker and requesting the Sergeant-at-Arms to call for more security as there would be a fist fight in Parliament.

The suspension came to light after The Speaker of the National Assembly gave a ruling against Mr Zulu concerning his conduct on Wednesday 23rd March, 2022 when the First Deputy Speaker was conducting business.

When The Speaker put the question of whether Mr Zulu should be suspended, a division vote was called by Members of Parliament mostly those from the opposition.

The suspension came to pass after 66 MPs voted in favour of the suspension while 50 MPs voted against suspension.

Based on the vote in the House, it was resolved that Mr Zulu be suspended for 10 days for being found guilty of breaching the Standing Orders of the House and in these 10 days, he will not be allowed to enter Parliament building nor the parliamentary motel and during his suspension, he will not be entitled to any allowances.

Many Members of Parliament described Mr Zulu as a childish and unreasonable member.

Mr Zulu was ordered to leave the House and only return on the 5th of August, 2022.

And Mr Zulu took to his Facebook page to express disappointment on the reason for his suspension for the Point of Order that was raised had nothing to do with The Speaker’s Mace but threats towards a certain Sergeant-of-Arms that he genuinely doesn’t even know in person.

He added that a lot of online news sites are running stories that he intended to grab the Mace, but he has all written correspondence with him and at no point did he respond to the matter of attempting to grab the Mace.

“As I consult Lawyers on the way forward, I will either make the documents public or use them at the right time,” he noted

Mr Zulu further noted that the matter relating to an apology he made on the floor of the house and not when he was erroneously chased from the House on Thursday 21st July 2022.

“So, colleagues don’t judge too early as the intention is to keep some sect mute in the house but worry not when wrong I will apologise but to be compelled to be a ‘Mr Yes’ to everything is not part of me and my background,” he said

He expressed gratitude to the 50 Members of Parliament that supported him by voting against his suspension from Parliament building.

Mr Zulu explained that he agrees that his debates have not been well received by the authorities but to be chased for being in his seat is ugly as he has been chased out of the House for merely answering questions and just seating in Parliament.

He stated that a lot of the support staff are being used to create a situation that abrogates Parliamentary etiquette but he agrees that being chased or suspended from Parliament is a planned move.

“How possible is it that even when am quiet am chased out of the House and at the same time standing orders that bind members are extended to the same support staff that are not elected by anyone,” he stated

“How is it that civil servants at Parliament suddenly play to the standing orders when they have their own code of conduct,” he said

Meanwhile, The Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti has been warning Members of Parliament against conduct likely to breach the decorum of the House after noticing a tendency of late coming and noise which disrupt the business of the House.

The speaker said this when she reminded MPs on standing orders on parliamentary decorum and etiquette.

She has since cautioned that such tendencies will not be allowed to continue, adding that MPs who report late to the house will be removed from the sitting of the day.

Former Religious Minister and Member of the Central Committee for the opposition ruling party Rev. Godfridah Sumaili that the widely circulated obscene material now prevalent on social media allegedly involving a senior government official requires an immediate investigation to establish the facts and bring it to an acceptable closure.

In a statement released to the media, Rev Sumaili said that it is important that the President of the Republic of Zambia, who is the appointing authority, suspends the officer involved in the matter, to pave way for an investigation to establish the truth.

Rev. Sumaili further expressed concern that some women are circulating material on social-media that demean themselves and are producing and promoting pornographic and immoral material and appealed to the women to avoid producing material even for private or personal use as this is likely going to leak and cause public embarrassment, especially for the womenfolk.

“The continued degradation of morals is unacceptable and must be treated as an emergency by stakeholders such as the Church.
The Church is the salt of the earth, conscious of society and the heartbeat of morality, ” she said.

Rev. Sumaili said that as Zambians we should ensure that the use of social-media platforms is not abused but used for good causes, adding that it should be noted that this matter borders on the Constitution of Zambia.

The former minister concluded by saying that the Constitution provides for national values and principles, and morality and ethics are some of the values and as a Christian Nation, all Zambians have a duty to promote and uphold Christian values, and our tradition and culture.

Meanwhile, Zambia Police Service has said that it is concerned with the circulation of pornographic videos that has gone viral on WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms.

In a statement released to the media, Zambia Police has warned members of the general public that such acts as Publication, circulating, offering, possession and solicitation of Obscene material which includes nude and all pornographic content of adults and/or minors is an offence under Section 177 of the Penal Code Act Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia as well as under Section 56 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No.2 of 2021.

Accoirding to Zambia POlice Spokesperson,Rae Hamoonga, Zambia Police has instituted investigations to find the persons circulating the said videos and as well as to establish the authenticity of the videos.

“Zambia Police Service is therefore urging the general public to desist henceforth from circulating Obscene materials as doing so does constitute an offence and is prosecutable under the laws of this country, ” concluded the statement

A 17-year uncle of Ndola has connived with two other teenagers to defile his seven year old niece of Kaloko Compound.

Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Sharon Zulu has confirmed that Police in Ndola have arrested three teenagers for defiling a seven year old girl of Kaloko Compound.

Ms Zulu said the minor sustained bruises on her private part from the incident which occurred between 1st January, 2022 and 25th July 2022 in Kaloko, Ndola.

She said a concerned class teacher last Monday observed strange behaviour from the minor and upon questioning her, the child revealed that she was sexually abused.

“Defilement reported at Masala Police Station. Jacaranda Police post, Occurred between 1st January, 2022 and 25th July 2022 in Kaloko Compound Ndola in which female Pamela Matanda aged 42 of H/No. 1880 New Kaloko Compound Ndola a teacher at Spring of Life School situated in Kaloko Compound reported that a grade one pupil by the name of a female juvenile aged 7 of H/No 1380 New Kaloko Compound was sexually abused by three (3) people which one of them is an uncle,” Ms. Zulu said.

“Brief facts of the matter are that on 25th July, 2022 around 09:00 hrs a concerned class teacher observed strange behaviour from the minor and upon questioning her, the child revealed that she was sexually abused by male juvenile Ngosa Ngosa his uncle aged 17 of H/No. 1380 Kaloko Compound, male juvenile aged 13 of H/No 1380 Kaloko Compound and M/J/Emmanuel Mulenga aged 17 of Kaloko Compound. Upon hearing this, on 26/07/22 the teacher reported the matter to the Police. The child’s private part was inspected by the mother Cynthia Chitoku who discovered that it was reddish and had some bruises. Zambia Police form 32B was issued for her examination and treatment. A docket was opened and arrest was made on the three suspects,” she said.

Meanwhile, a man from Chamboli in Kitwe is on the run after defiling his 14-year old biological daughter.

Ms. Zulu said a docket of case was opened and police investigations are ongoing as the suspect Gilbert Mwaba is still at large.

“A guidance and counseling teacher at Butotelo Combined School in Chamboli Township , Kitwe reported on behalf of a female juvenile aged 14, a grade eight (8) pupil at the said school who confirmed in her that her biological father male Gilbert Mwaba has been defiling her for close to a year now. The victim did not complain of any pain. However Medical report (Z.P form 32) was issued and she was escorted to the hospital for medical examination and the findings from the doctor are consistent, she was found with a stretched hymen, Lacerations at three (3) and nine ( 9) o’clock with healed edges,” Ms. Zulu said.

“Brief facts surrounding the case are that, in September, 2021 when the victim remained home with her biological father, while her step mother was at Chamboli Market where she runs a restaurant, her father sent her to get the car keys from his bedroom. While there he followed her, locked the door and told her that he wanted to have sex with her. After she refused he used force to undress her and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her. He then threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone about it. Since then he could call her for sex whenever there was no one at home,” she said.

“On 04/07/22 around 1400hrs after she was sexually abused she told some people who withheld their identity and advised her to inform her elder brother who lives within Chamboli Township for assistance. On 23/07/22 his brother moved her to his place because he was not happy. However, he did not report the matter to the police. On 25/07/22 she was called by the guidance and counseling teacher after she noticed that she has not been active, after a long chat with her the victim disclosed what has been going on in her life and the teacher took it up and reported the matter to Police. A docket of case was opened; investigations are ongoing as the suspect is still at large,” Ms Zulu said.