Ministers confront Scott over PF cadres' conduct

Ministers confront Scott over PF cadres' conduct
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thursday March 15, 2007 [02:00]

LUSAKA Central member of parliament Dr Guy Scott was on Tuesday confronted by some MMD parliamentarians following the unruly conduct exhibited by PF cadres during last Monday's Youth Day celebrations. Dr Scott, who is also PF secretary general, was confronted by tourism minister Kabinga Pande, sports minister Gabriel Namulambe and home affairs deputy minister Grace Njapau outside the chamber at Parliament during the 16:15 hours break. However, Dr Scott asked the ministers, who were later joined by State House deputy minister Richard Taima, if they wanted the PF youths to raise the ruling party symbol during the march past. "Did you want them to do this?" Dr Scott asked as he waved the MMD party symbol.

But Namulambe said the PF youths would have been allowed to march past President Levy Mwanawasa's dais had they followed the manner in which everybody was marching. "The FDD were allowed, UNIP was also allowed and even the UPND," Namulambe said. He complained that the behaviour by the PF youths did not reflect very well on the opposition party's leadership. As he went down the stairs to the dining room, Dr Scott promised to look into the matter. The mumbled response from Dr Scott prompted Namulambe to threaten that the PF would not be invited to attend future Youth Day celebrations if they did not change their behaviour.

But Pande said Dr Scott would be invited to attend the celebrations. "We will invite you," said Pande, as he pointed at Dr Scott. On Monday, there was confusion when a crowd of PF youths attempted to march past President Levy Mwanawasa at the Freedom Statue. And Mazabuka UPND/UDA member of parliament Garry Nkombo said it made him sick whenever he saw MMD and PF parliamentarians taking at each other on the floor of the House.

Contributing to the debate on the estimates of expenditure for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS), Nkombo said such antagonistic tendencies among politicians did not make sense. Nkombo said the ping-pong that had characterised the country's political landscape was nauseating. He said it was not right for politicians to portray a divisive picture to the public. Nkombo attributed the tensions among politicians to the biased media coverage, which he said only tends to favour those in the ruling party and the Executive. "It is sickening that only government should get full coverage," said Nkombo.