FIRST Deputy Speaker Attractor Chisangano has suspended five more Patriotic Front members of parliament who participated in the disruption of the proceedings of the House last year.

And Chisangano yesterday directed Lumezi independent member of Parliament Munir Zulu to apologise to Local Government and Rural Development Minister Gary NKombo for making false allegations against him on KBN TV.

In her affirmative ruling, Chisangano said the five MPs, who have been suspended for a period of 30 days effective Wednesday March 23, were excluded from her initial ruling where she suspended 30 of their colleagues because at the time, they were barred from participating in the business of the House.

“In line with my ruling in which 30 members of the Patriotic Front who participated in the protest in the Chamber were suspended for 30 days, I now put the question in accordance with section 28 (2) of the National Assembly (Powers and privileges) Act, which requires a resolution of the House to suspend a Member from the House.The Question is that the House suspends the five Patriotic Front members of parliament that participated in the protest in the Chamber for a period of thirty (30) days from today, Wednesday 23 March to Thursday, 21st April, 2022. As many as are of that opinion say, Aye of the contrary say No. I think the ‘Ayes’ have it,” Speaker Chisangano said.

“The question is resolved in the affirmative. Hon Members, in accordance with Privileges Act, before you take the walk of shame, I wish to inform you that in accordance with section 28 (3) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) during the period of your suspension you shall not: (i) enter the premises of the National Assembly and this extends to the National Assembly Motel (ii) participate in an activity of the Assembly or any committee that you are assigned in your capacity as Member of parliament. And (iii) be paid the salary or allowance that you are entitled to as a member of parliament. I now order Mr T Chewe MP, Mr BC Lusambo MP, Mr M Kafwaya MP, Mr J Malanjl MP and Mr L Simumba, MP to immediately leave the proceedings of the House on thirty (30) days suspension.”

She explained why they were not part of the initial ruling.

“Hon Members, the House will recall that on Tuesday 1st March 2022 I rendered a ruling which resulted in the suspension of 30 Patriotic Front members of parliament for participating in a protest in the Chamber on Tuesday, 30th November,2021. In my ruling, I excluded five PF Members of parliament who had participated in the protest but who were at the time barred from participating in the business of the House. This followed a ruling by the Hon Madam speaker rendered on Tuesday, 7 December,2021 in which all Members of Parliament whose seats had been nullified by the High Court but had appealed to the Constitutional Court were barred from participating in the proceedings of the House until the nullification of their seats was overturned by the Constitutional Court,” she said.

Meanwhile, Chisangano directed Zulu to apologise to Nkombo for making false allegations against him on KBN TV.

“I order Mr M Zulu, member of parliament for Lumezi constituency to go and stand behind the bar of the Sergeant-At-Arms to take the Speaker’s mace and stand behind Mr M Zulu MP. Hon Members, I wish to inform the House that on Thursday 2nd December,2021, my office received a letter of complaint from Hon G G Nkombo Minister of Local Government and Rural Development against Mr M Zulu MP. In the complaint Hon G G Nkombo MP alleged that on Wednesday 1st December, 2021 Mr Munir Zulu MP made false allegations against him on KBN Television based on a ministerial statement on feeder Roads that he delivered in the House,” Speaker Chisangano narrated.

“Hon G G Nkombo MP explained that Mr M Zulu MP accused him of having laid false information before the House and of being a liar. He added that this had injured his persona. The Hon Madam Speaker referred the complaint to the Committee on Privileges and Absences for consideration. The Committee on Privileges and Absences met and deliberated on the matter on Thursday 1Oth March, 2022. During its deliberations the committee had recourse to the relevant KBN Television footage and a copy of the Ministerial statement made by Hon G G Nkombo MP on which Mr M Zulu’s allegations were based. Hon G G Nkombo MP and Mr M Zulu MP also appeared before the Committee. Additionally, the acting Chief Executive Officer of KBN Television Station, Mr Tato Simaataa, appeared to authenticate the video footage.”

She said the committee found Zulu wanting.

“Hon members, after considering the television footage a copy of the ministerial statement and submissions from the two parties, the Committee established the following: That in his Ministerial statement Hon G G NKombo MP said that between 2016 and 2021 the Government had entered into contracts for 1,909 kilometres of feeder roads in Eastern Province that during his interview on KBN Television, Mr M Zulu MP accused Hon G G Nkombo MP of lying on the Floor of the House that Eastern province received 1,909 kilometres of feeder roads in the last ten (10) years. And that despite the committee bringing it to Mr M Zulu MP’s attention that his statement was at variance with the statement in the Ministerial statement,” said Speaker Chisangano.

“The Ministerial statement referred to contracted kilometres and not completed kilometres but Mr M Zulu MP insisted that Hon G G Nkombo MP had presented false information to the House. The committee therefore resolved that Mr M Zulu MP be directed to apologise to the Assembly in accordance with section 28(1) (d) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.

But Zulu hesitated to read the letter of apology provided to him by the National Assembly, saying he did not own it.

“I always have problems Madam Speaker reading a speech that I don’t not own. This is not my speech, it has been given to me. Your guidance is fair enough I will read what I have been given because I do not own this speech. So permit me to read it because it is not my speech because I don’t own this speech,” said Zulu, but he proceeded to read the apology after further guidance.