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Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini
Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini has reprimanded Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza for giving false information to the media.
Dr. Matibini reprimanded Mr. Mwanza on the floor of the House after finding him guilty of committing contempt of Parliament through a Facebook posting on emoluments of Members of Parliament.
The FDD Spokesperson was found guilty by admission of posting misleading and false information on his personal Facebook.
Mr. Mwanza early this year gave the Daily Nation Newspaper wrong information on Members of Parliament’s remuneration.
Mr. Mwanza alleged that sitting allowance for MPs stands at K3, 000 per sitting while Salary of about K31, 000 for each MP, plus accommodation allowance which is calculated at K500 per day plus upkeep allowance, plus tax free beer and food.
Mr. Mwanza furthermore alleged that the total amount Zambians are spending to service one MP comes to a gigantic K100, 000 per month.
And in rendering his ruling following a point of order that was raised by Serenje MP Maxwell Kabanda in June, Dr. Matibini says this is not the first time Mr. Mwanza is being summoned by the office of the Speaker for a similar offense.
Dr. Matibini says after the Serenje MP raised a point of order, as per procedure, the office of the Clerk of National Assembly wrote to both the Daily Nation Newspaper which published the information as well as Mr. Mwanza on the same.
He explained that the Daily Nation Newspaper responded that the information came from Mr. Mwanza while the FDD Spokesperson defended that he just posted that information on his Facebook page.
And when addressing Mr. Mwanza after ordering him to stand behind the bar of the House, Dr. Matibini says the information he published was incorrect on the remuneration of MPs.
Meanwhile, Dr. Matibini has cautioned the Daily Nation Newspaper to verify information before publishing it.
Antonio Mwanza in parliament
Mr. Mwanza unreservedly apologized to the House for giving false information to the Daily Nation Newspaper after being order by the Speaker to apologize to the Members of Parliament.