SPEAKER DIRECTS TASILA LUNGU TO REPORT TO PARLIAMENT WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER FATHER’S BURIAL
By Raphael Mulenga
Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti has directed Chawama Member of Parliament Tasila Lungu in absentia to present herself to the speaker’s office or the house within 14 days after her father’s burial or within 14 days of the opening of the fifth session of the 13th National Assembly.
The directive comes after Ms. Lungu requested a leave of absence to attend to court proceedings in South Africa related to her late father’s burial.
Delivering a ruling on a point of order raised by Zambezi East Member of Parliament Brian Kambita who wanted to find out if the house was in order to continue recognizing Ms. Lungu as MP when there were indications that the Lungu family had no intentions of coming back to Zambia, Ms. Mutti acknowledged the challenging circumstances surrounding the former president’s death and the need for Ms. Lungu to mourn and bury her father.
However, Ms. Mutti also emphasized the importance of representing the people of Chawama constituency.
She noted that negotiations between government and the Lungu family are ongoing to resolve the matter outside of court and expressed hope for an amicable solution.
And Ms. Mutti says the issue of whether Ms. Lungu should continue to be recognized as a Member of Parliament will be addressed at a later date.
PHOENIX NEWS
Fair Ruling Madam, similar to the classic Solomonic Ruling in the Bible on the case of the 2 Prostitutes. Even the shameless Critics have hiddens inside their shells!
And if the father is buried two years from now?
Empathy costs. How high are the people of Chawama going to pay?
Politican use state resources and their positions not for the people that elected them but to further their own whims.
Tasila should choose public service or family. A tough cross road. But a choice she has to make.
Can she effectively serve the people of Chawama remotely? If so then, let every member of Parliament be accorded the same concession. If that is done, how effective will the institution be? Let give Munri Zulu the same blind concession. Let all that behave badly the same concession. Rules exist for a reason. A maternity was understandable. Compassion should be within reason.
The trigger point is 14 days after Parliament opens. Mutti should have added the phrase:”whichever comes first: Burial or opening of Parliament…”