Maravi

PF MPS’ expulsions worry govt

PF MPS’ expulsions worry govt
Written by Katwishi Bwalya, Lambwe Kachali and Gloria Siwisha
Thursday, December 25, 2008 10:29:29 AM

CHIEF government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has pleaded with Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata not to expel his ‘rebel’ members of parliament to avoid huge expenses on by-elections. But Sata yesterday said the money for by-elections would not be as much as that being wasted on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC). And the PF has asked Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa to declare seats for the ‘rebel’ members of parliament vacant.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for PF ‘rebel’ MPs Peter Machungwa yesterday declared that it was not over until the Supreme Court said so.

In an interview, Shikapwasha - who is also information and broadcasting services minister - said going for as many as 20 parliamentary by-elections would put a lot of strain on the economy.

“My appeal to him [Sata] is to think twice rather than expel them. Let them finish their term and then they can have elections in the remaining two and half years to come,” Shikapwasha said.

He said Zambia was in an economic situation that required resource mobilisation and parliamentary by-elections would be a waste of resources.

“Mr Sata has been telling the government about cutting costs. So it is prudent for him not to expel the MPs. The other day, Mr Sata was talking about reducing the number of permanent secretaries in government and the number of ministries. So I am urging him not to go for elections,” said Shikapwasha.

But Sata said the government had already wasted K49 billion on the NCC.

“Shikapwasha is one of those who encouraged these people [rebel MPs] to defy the party and his appeal is dismissed with the contempt it deserves,” Sata said. ”As far as we are concerned, we have no choice because we need the correct people who are patriotic.”

He said the ‘rebel’ MPs were now appealing to Shikapwasha thinking he would save them.

“The country must behave like a surgeon; a surgeon will spill blood to save you, a surgeon will cut you to save your life,” said Sata.

And MMD elections chairperson Mike Mulongoti said the party was ready to go for elections in an event that the PF ‘rebel’ MPs were expelled. Mulongoti said the MPs were free to join the ruling MMD if they so wished.

And in a letter dated December 23, 2008 addressed to Speaker Mwanamwambwa and copied to the Deputy Speaker, Clerk of the National Assembly and Deputy Clerk of the National assembly, PF deputy secretary general Dr Chileshe Mulenga stated that the High Court’s ruling on Monday December 22, 2008 in which it discharged the interim order of injunction, confirmed that the PF ‘rebel’ parliamentarians no longer represented the party in parliament and therefore their seats must be declared vacant.

The parliamentarians whose seats would be declared vacant include Celestino Chibamba (Shiwang’andu constituency), Dr Bernard Chishya (Pambashe), Elizabeth Chitika-Molobeka (Kawambwa), Besa Chimbaka (Bahati), Ernest Mwansa (Chifunabuli), Joseph Kasongo (Bangweulu), Peter Machungwa (Luapula), Jacob Chongo (Mwense), Percy Chanda (Kankoyo), Barnabas Chella (Wusakile), Michael Nyirenda (Kamfinsa) Benson Bwalya (Chifubu) Lombani Msichili (Kabushi), Joseph Zulu (Bwana Mkubwa), Anson Simama (Kalulushi) and Reverend Violet Sampa Bredt (Chawama).

“In December 2007, the listed members of parliament withdrew their membership from the party by stopping their monthly financial contributions to the party through parliament. Following this action, the central committee resolved to accept their individual decision in this regard and they were deemed to be non-members of the Patriotic Front from the date of withdrawal of contributions. On 14th December 2007, the MPs commenced legal proceedings against the PF and the High Court granted them an ex parte order of interim injunction. We respected this judicial decision and the MPs continued performing their functions under this protection from the court pending the determination of the matter. However, on Monday, 22nd December 2008, the High Court handed down a ruling in which it discharged the said interim order of injunction,” the letter read in part. “In view of the above, the decision of the party that the MPs were longer members of the party and that they did not, therefore, represent the party in parliament has now been confirmed by the High Court. The effect of the ruling is that these parliamentary seats should now be declared vacant by your office.”

And Dr Mulenga in an interview disclosed that last week, a letter was submitted to Speaker Mwanamwambwa to declare PF Matero member of parliament Faustina Sinyangwe’s seat vacant.

“I did not include her name on the list with other ‘rebel’ parliamentarians because she was expelled by the party earlier. So, that injunction was not relevant to her case,” said Dr Mulenga.

The inclusion of Sinyangwe brings the number of PF parliamentary seats to be declared vacant to 17.

And Machungwa said the ‘rebel’ parliamentarians had since filed a notice of appeal before the Supreme Court.

Labels: PARLIAMENT, PF

posted by MrK @ 10:29 AM