Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Patrick Matibini
Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has advised Members of Parliament to desist from using the house as a forum for party and personal fights at the expense of matters of national importance affecting the Zambian people.
In a ruling in which he ruled Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe out of order for using offensive language against Mazabuka central Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo whom he called stupid, Dr Matibini says he will not allow the situation were the house is used for as as forum for party and personal fights to continue.
He said Members of Parliament are expected to maintain their temperament at all times and be, modest and civil in their debate and conduct in keeping with Parliament language and etiquette.
Dr Matibini said going forward he will not hesitate to name and suspend any erring member.
He reminded Mr Sikazwe that he’s not only an ordinary Member of Parliament, but also Cabinet Minister as well and as such his conduct is expected to be exemplary and above reproach.
Dr Matibini advised Mr Sikazwe to conduct himself to conduct himself in a manner befitting his title of honorable Member and more so as a cabinet Minister.
He warned the presidential affairs minister that a repetition of such conduct will attract a stiffer punishment.
And Dr Matibini has ruled Mazabuka central MP Garry Nkombo out of order for challenging his Kabwe central counterpart Tutwa Ngulube to a physical fight after the latter shouted at him to go out when he rose on a point of order on whether Mr Sikazwe was in order to call him stupid and a dog.
The speaker also ruled that the conduct of Mr Ngulube to shout at Mr Nkombo to go out was contrary to the etiquette and rules of the house, and that the Kabwe central MP was equally out of order.
Dr Matibini has further admonished Mr Nkombo for walking out of the house immediately after a ruling was made against him on Friday, 3rd March, 2017.