Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has said that the vote on the Constitution Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 cannot be reversed. Dr. Matibini said that the vote relates to Members of Parliament for Chifubu Frank Ng’ambi, Mwansabombwe’s Kabaso Kampampi and Elalio Musonda for Kamfinsa.
Dr. Matibini was speaking when he made a ruling in Parliament today in response to a point of order raised by Mr. Ng’ambi. Mr. Ng’ambi contended that his vote, Mr. Kampampi’s and Mr. Musonda’s were not captured in support of bill 10.
Dr. Matibini explained that the Chifubu MP pressed the key button to show that he was present but failed to vote.
Dr. Matibini stated that if Mr. Ng’ambi had a challenge with technology, he should have consulted an Information Technology expert to help him as they are readily available.
Dr. Matibini has since urged parliamentarians to acquaint themselves with technology to avoid such happenings in the future.
Mr Ng’ambi is one of the 3 MPs that Patriotic Front Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila had written to exculpate themselves for the absent voting of Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 of 2020.
“It has come to my attention that during the voting for the Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 of 2020, on Thursday 29th October 2020, you decided to absent yourself from voting for the Bill”, Hon Mwila’s letter to all the three MPs read in part.
“Hon Member, you are aware that His Excellency, the President had directed that all our Members of Parliament vote for the Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 of 2020 as it had progressive clauses that would have seen us uplift the lives of the underprivileged in society”, Hon Mwila further wrote.
Hon Mwila has stated that the action exhibited by the Honorable MPs was not in line with the Party’s interest and in breach of *Article 74, regulation 29 (d) and (i) of the Party Constitution.*
The Members of Parliament have since been issued with exculpatory letters to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against each one of them.
Meanwhile, some Lusaka-based youth organisations have said that the failure by the UPND members of Parliament to vote for the Constitution Amendment Bill Number 10 of 2019 is an indication that they do not have confidence in the youths.
Speaking after a solidarity walk in Lusaka, Common Grounds Network Representative David Mvula said the act has denied youths, women and the disabled a chance to have representation in parliament.
And another youth, Serah Kasongo said youths will not condone such selfish acts from MPs.
And Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka Province Youth Chairperson Daniel Kalembe said the party will support the youths in their endeavors to get representation in Parliament.
Meanwhile, PF Lusaka Province Vice Youth Chairperson Kelvin Kaunda has challenged the MPs to explain why they did not see the need to give youths a platform to represent themselves in parliament.
And, The Network for Young People Against Violence says the failure by the UPND to support Constitution Amendment Bill Number 10 of 2019 demonstrates that the opposition party does not mean well for Zambia.
Executive Director Moses Kalonde says it is disappointing that the UPND pulled down a progress Bill that Government intended to support the marginalised such as women and the physically challenged.
Mr. Kalonde told ZNBC news in an interview that the party in 2016 was in the forefront of de-campaigning the Referendum that was to help enhance the living standards of people especially in rural areas.