WE HAVE ENOUGH NUMBERS TO FRUSTRATE THE BUDGET, INCLUDING SOME FROM UPND – HON KAPYANGA
…Says if presiding officers continue to mistreat PF MPs, frustration of the budget will be imminent.
Lusaka…. Friday, July 21st 2023 (Smart Eagles)
Mpika Lawmaker Francis Kapyanga has warned that if the ‘injustice’ against opposition MPs continues in Parliament, necessary numbers have been garnered to even frustrate the Budget.
Lawmaker Francis Kapyanga has disclosed that some UPND Parliamentarians are on the list of the numbers mentioned.
He said it is unfortunate that presiding officers engage in debate but when it is time to respond to their debate, they state that one cannot debate with the chairperson.
Hon Kapyanga said the house is not an extension of the UPND national management Committee.
“In other countries, there is serious democracy on how the house should be managed. Not what we are seeing. We want to tell the Presiding officers that should these shenanigans continue, we have garnered the necessary numbers even to frustrate the budget including some new dawn members are on the list here. When we see this trend continue, we will be left with no option but to frustrate the budget. Our leaders will not blame us, they have tried to engage the Presiding officers but the case has still remained the same. From time and again, the presiding officers have been engaging in debates but when we want to repsond to them, they say do not engage in debates with the chair,” he said.
Hon Kapyanga also reminded Presiding officers that the views expressed by Members of Parliament are a reflection of the people they represent.
“It is so shocking, the levels of paranoia of the UPND. They become desperate in all the sectors, more especially here at parliament where Presiding officers thing Mps serve at their mercy. The views expressed by MPs are on behalf of the people in their constituencies. The presiding officers should not expect me to say what they want to hear. I say ehat the people in my constituency want,” he said