By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OUR PEOPLE, PF PRESIDENT TELLS SUSPENDED MPS
Lusaka- Wednesday 8th November 2023
…the people have been witnesses to the injustices being perpetrated against you…
Patriotic Front President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu has advised Members of Parliament that have been suspended, to use the period to meet people in their constituencies and explain what was currently happening in the country.
Speaking when he met the MPs shortly after they were suspended, President Lungu expressed concern at the shrinking democratic space in the country and bemoaned the sustained attacks on institutions of democracy and governance by the Executive.
He encouraged the MPs that their quest to foster freedom of expression in the House was noble despite determined efforts to curtail them by the Speaker.
He said the occurrences in Parliament was part of a larger scheme to impose a dictatorship and undermine democracy in Zambia.
He said that with the capital investment done by his government over the years to ensure that parliamentary proceedings were covered live on national television, Zambians have been witnesses to the frustrations thrown at the MPs to curtail their effective contributions to parliamentary and national affairs.
He expressed concern that the suspension of the MPs came when the National Assembly was scrutinizing and approving the 2024 National budget.
He however urged the MPs to take interest in the continous voter registration and NRC issuance currently going on without much publicity.
He urged the MPs to alert their electorate to participate in the exercises.
Last week, Members of Parliament supported the protest by Kamfisa Member of Parliament, Christopher Kangombe, who urged the Speaker to allow debates in the House.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Nellie Mutti ordered Kangombe out of the House.
She proceeded to charge the MPs that supported Kangombe.
While the MPs were waiting for a hearing with the Privileges and Abscences Committee, Mutti jumped the process and proceeded to suspend the MPs without a hearing.