Mazabuka UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo yesterday sent the House into pangs of laughter when he mocked the Patriotic Front over Kaizar Zulu’s conduct.

Nkombo, who had risen on a point of clarification after home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo issued a ministerial statement on protests against LAZ, took advantage of the opportunity to mock the ruling party.

“Let me join the minister sir briefly to also congratulate our Under 20 team and in the same breath allow me also on behalf of the PF to apologise to FAZ, FIFA and CAF for the unbecoming behaviour of one of our State House aides Mr Kaizar Zulu. I also want to apologise on behalf of PF to the Law Association of Zambia,” Nkombo said as his fellow MPs laughed.

However, before he could continue, justice minister Given Lubinda rose on a point of order seeking Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini’s ruling on whether Nkombo was in order to apologise on behalf of a party to which he did not belong.

In his ruling, Speaker Matibini advised members of the House to stay clear of controversial issues whilst conducting business.

“My ruling; let us confine ourselves to the business at hand, of course I did allow the minister to congratulate the Under 20 team and I think that was just befitting, it was befitting, but to go beyond and get into matters that could be controversial would be most inappropriate and least as the honourable member for Mazabuka himself indicated he was apologising on behalf of a political party and yet in his own statement he is referring to government functionary. That can compound the situation; I know we are a political body but we have got business to conduct here, we have got business and let’s respect the business we are scheduled to do,” said Speaker Matibini.

“There are other platforms elsewhere were we can political. But as far as the House is concerned, these are the kinds of statements unfortunately that regenerate into the very issues that I was deprecating yesterday. Because we excite each other unfortunately when we start making such statements and when we get excited, we resort to conduct that may not be fitting of  ourselves, so honourable member for Mazabuka Central please focus on our core business this afternoon and this is to simply see if you have any clarification on the statement given the honourable minister of home affairs, that’s our core business.”

On Monday, Kaizar Zulu was reported to Matero Police Station for assaulting a female police officer, who was working with CAF as a stewardess, at Heroes Stadium during the prize presentation ceremony on Sunday evening.

CAF officials had to drag Zulu, who was visibly drunk, out of the pitch, causing a scene as President Lungu officiated at the prize presentation ceremony.