MUNDUBILE FUMES, IT IS AN INSULT TO INSINUATE THAT WE ARE HERE ONLY FOR SITTING ALLOWANCE
By Brightwell Chabusha
“Can you do it quietly? Next time there will be no sitting for people who walk out. Taxpayers’ money will not be paid to people who walk out of work,” Speaker of the National Assembly said as PF MPs walked out of the National Assembly during the vice President’s question time.
The lawmakers walked out on the Vice President’s question time because they were blocked from asking questions over the private firms contracted to audit security wings.
As they walked out, the Speaker said “so for those people that are walking out, there is no sitting allowance for today…. can we make progress? Please clerks take note. Everybody that has moved out, no seating allowance for today.”
Meanwhile, angry at the Speaker’s statement, leader of the opposition in Parliament Mr Brian Mundubile said an impression that the MPs are in Parliament just to earn a K2,000 sitting allowance was created from the way the Speaker conducted herself.
Mr Mundubile disclosed that the MPs will be writing to the Speaker for what members feel is an infringement of the rights of members.
“Madam Speaker I am compelled to rise because as members on your left, we missed an opportunity to interact with her Honour the Vice President, a session that is very important. We come here because we are representatives of the people,” he said.
“We were voted for by the people that we represent. As members of parliament we are aggrieved especially where an impression is given that as we sit here, we sit to earn an allowance of K2000 and that our conduct must be controlled for that K2000. Madam speaker I would like to put it on record that that is an insult to the members of Parliament that are elected by the people.”
But the Speaker rose to interrupt Mr Mundubile.
She said the MPs should go ahead and write adding that they walked out of Parliament on their own.