Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini says Chishimba Kambwili will remain in the House as Roan PF member of parliament until the courts make a determination on his case.

And Speaker Matibini says it is none of his business who members of parliament choose to associate with outside the House.

He was ruling on a point of order raised by Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo who challenged him to take action against expelled Kambwili for “masquerading as a PF member”.

“Mr Speaker when we come to Parliament, we come through political parties as sponsors of us members of parliament and apart from that Mr Speaker, some of the members have come here as independent [MPs]. Mr Speaker I seek your serious ruling, is honurable Kambwili, Mr Speaker, in order to be masquerading as Patriotic Front member of parliament for Roan when in fact not Mr Speaker? Mr Speaker, on Sunday in Kitwe honourable Kambwili attended and addressed members of NDC political party, the newly formed political party. Mr Speaker, [he attended and addressed the meeting] as an interim president for that political party. Mr Speaker, I have evidence to that effect which I will be laying on the table and Mr Speaker, I need a serious ruling if Mr Kambwili is in order to be in this house masquerading as PF, I thank you Mr Speaker,” said Lusambo.

But in his ruling, Speaker Matibini said he had no jurisdiction over matters that took place outside Parliament.

“My ruling, as you are obviously aware, honourable member for Roan is subject of an expulsion by the Patriotic Front party and following that decision to expel him, he proceeded to the High Court to challenge the expulsion as it were. And in terms of our Constitution, whenever a member of parliament is subject to an expulsion and proceeds to the High Court, that expulsion does not affect his membership of the House. In other words, he continues representing the constituency that elected him under that particular party until and unless the matter is finally disposed off by the Courts of law and that is the basis upon which the honourable member for Roan continues to represent his constituency in this House,” ruled Speaker Matibini.

“As far as the associations, engagements, interactions that take place beyond Parliament, first and foremost, that’s not my business, I have no control and no jurisdiction how you relate and who you relate with and however, if a particular political party has reservations, again that becomes a matter of party disciplines and I do not deal with party discipline. Party discipline is a matter of internal administration. So my construction of membership of the House and your conduct is informed primarily by the Constitution as well as the National Assembly powers and privileges Act, that is my ruling.”