SPEAKER of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti has been asked to determine whether the six Patriotic Front(PF) and independent parliamentarians who recently joined UPND are legally in Parliament.
Lukashya Member of Parliament George Chisanga said in a point of order yesterday that a lawmaker who croses over to another party, by law, vacates their seat.
Mr Chisanga, of the Patriotic Fron(PF) named those who recently announced their defection to UPND as Kanchibiya MP Sunday Chanda, Isoka’s Majory Nakaponda, Masaiti’s Michael Katambo and Leeven Chibombwe, who is Bahati lawmaker-all from PF.
The rest are Bwacha lawmaker Sydney Mushanga of the PF and Roan’s independent law maker Joel Chibuye.
In raising his point of order citing Article 72 of the Constitution, Mr Chisanga, a lawyer said that Members of Parliament have sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution.
“Madam Speaker, One of the requirements of the Constitution is that each member of Parliament must remain in their seat for a whole tenure of Parliament without defecting to another political party. Under Article 72(2) d and g”.
Mr Chanda said that any Member who changes political parties or one who was elected independent and joins a political party is deemed to have vacated his seat.
“It’s on record that the following Members of Parliament have defected to the UPND, lately, and they have declared publicly so, honourable Katambo, honourable Mushanga, honourable Chibuye, honourable Sunday Chanda, honourable, Nakaponda, and honourable Leeven Chibombwe” Mr Chisanga said.
He then asked: “Madam Speaker, I would like to seek your ruling on whether being in this house, these members are not abrogating the Constitution, specifically article 72. I thank you madam Speaker”
In response, Speaker Nelly Mutti said she did not have details of what has transfered, in relating to the defection to the UPND.
“So, the best that I can do is to reserve the ruling so that we can inquire and look at what exactly happened. So, ruling is reserved to a date to be notified,” Ms Mutti said.
(Mwebantu, Thursday, 9th April, 2026)
Nellie Mutti to decide the fate of Defected MPs??? Come on, can anything of value come out of Nellie Mutti ‘s Parliament.
Ofcourse the fate is already known.
She will tell Hon Chisanga that the National Assembly depends on official Communication and not rumours..As far as she is concerned, those are just rumours.
The Secretary of the Patriotic Front should write to the Clerk of the National Assembly informing him that such members have crossed the floor.. Ofcourse she knows there’s no Secretary General of the Patriotic Front… Incarcerated Raphael Nakachinda or Nixon Chilangwa? Both are in Jail.
Maybe expelled Morgan Ng’ona, whose case is before the Court of Appeals!
Or Miles Sampa who can’t function as President or Secretary General because of the Order by the Court of Appeals Judge, and the Kabwe High Court Injunction..it’s double check mate for the Matero Law Maker. The man can only walk along passages and corridors in his house puffing around that he is PF President and SG. He can’t function as one.
The PF doesn’t exist in Zambia. It is ” Deregistered” . It’s dead.
No need to wait for Nellie Mutti ‘s ruling on Sunday Chanda and Team..It will just be hot Air!