Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Namugala says government will soon issue a collective statement on the steps to be taken in handling the spate of fires that have rocked the country.

Namugala was ruling on a point of order raised by Chitambo PF member of parliament Mutale Chanda who wanted to know if Vice-President Inonge Wina was in order to “sit in the House pretending like everything was normal when the nation was not okay”.

“Madam Speaker as I came to this Parliament my heart is bleeding and honestly speaking, we are not okay as a nation. Madam Speaker, as I came to this parliament, I watched TV yesterday and this morning and we saw how this country woke up to a rude shock to discover that this market was on fire. And Madam Speaker the Vice-President and the Minister of Justice went there to see for themselves,” said Chanda.

“Equally, when the President came in, who is a man of the people and also the poor people in fact, he went there to see and console the people. Now, Madam Speaker, is the Minister of Home Affairs in order to seat quietly there and pretend that everything is okay? Is he in order not to inform the nation on what steps the nation will take about this happening? I need your serious ruling Madam Speaker.”

In ruling, Namugala said; “My ruling, I have received communication that government collectively will be issuing a statement regarding this very important issue on which you have risen on a point of order.”