SPEAKER of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini has ordered corruption-accused Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya to render a ministerial statement to Parliament this Friday on the continued flouting of the COVID-19 regulations by the Executive and PF members.

On July 10, Monze Central UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu rose on a Point of Order seeking the Speaker’s ruling on whether or not the Executive was in order to flout Coronavirus Health Regulations.

Mwiimbu also cited the commotion which was caused by Patriotic Front (PF) cadres at the Lusaka Magistrates’ court on Thursday, July 9 when Dr Chilufya appeared to answer for corruption charges.

“The gist of the point of order was whether the Executive was in order to flout the Public Health infected areas Coronavirus disease 2019 Regulations 2020 by continuously holding public meetings. In his point of order, Mr JJ Mwiimbu made reference to three large gatherings which had allegedly taken place at the behest of the ruling Patriotic Front party, first the alleged receipt of over 1, 000 defectors by the PF in North Western Province from the United Party for National Development (UPND), and second, a meeting of PF cadres in Lusaka, and third, the alleged congregation of hundreds of supporters of the Honorable Minister of Health, senior PF supporters and cabinet ministers at the magistrates’ courts despite instructions to the court to restrict numbers,” Dr Matibini said.

“I have since studied the matter. I now direct that the Honorable Minister of Health should render a ministerial statement on this matter to this House by Friday, 17th July 2020,” ruled Dr Matibini.