Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says convicted PF Mufumbwe Member of Parliament Steven Masumba should seriously consider the interests and needs of the electorates in his Constituency by resigning his position following the High Court’s decision to uphold his conviction.
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi says his organisation strongly feels that Mr. Masumba’s continued stay as Mufumbwe MP despite his conviction, but clinging on due to the weaknesses in the current Constitution is a disservice to the people of Mufumbwe and an affront to representative democracy and the entire democratic process in Zambia.
Mr Chipenzi says in as much as the law does not allow him to vacate his seat until the court appeal process has been exhausted, Mr. Masumba has a moral duty and responsibility to value and respect the collective interests and needs of the people of Mufumbwe by resigning as MP by invoking the provisions of Article 71 (2) of the Current Republican Constitution which dictate that a member of the National Assembly can vacate his/her seat if he/she is sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
He says this will facilitate the holding of a parliamentary by-election so that another person is elected to effectively represent the people of Mufumbwe for the remaining two years before 2016 while he fights his legal battles as an ordinary person.
Mr Chipenzi however, says FODEP is also alive to the provision of Article 71(3) which allows a convicted MP to continue “occupying” the seat until the final determination of the court appeal process.
He says FODEP appeals to Mr. Masumba’s conscience and avoid being selfish by clinging on to the parliamentary seat whose duties he cannot discharge effectively due to his conviction.
Mr Chipenzi says his failure to resign has neither economic nor political benefit to him but only deprives the people of Mufumbwe of the much needed development through effective parliamentary representation.