Zambian Parliament sits for only 28 minutes

Parliament only sat for 28 minutes today, Tuesday March 4 as opposition Members of Parliament continue with their protest demanding for the new constitution, reports Zambian Eye Lusaka based Correspondent.

Speaker of The National Assembly, Dr Patrick Matibini, was forced to adjourn business when 19 of the questions on the order paper supposed to be asked by MPs from the opposition lapsed.

The 19 questions by MPs could not be asked for the Ministers to respond. There were 20 questions on the order paper for Tuesday March 4 and only one question by Patriotic Front Chipili MP Davis Mwila was asked.

Responding to a point of order raised on whether the opposition MPs were in order to boycott parliament sessions when a lot of tax payers’ money and time is spent to prepare for the sessions, the Speaker said he hoped this will not happen again.

Earlier, the Speaker informed the House that the consultative meeting between the PF government and the opposition over the constitution and disruption of business in the House for two consecutive days was successful.

The Speaker further said that the private members’ bill that Mazabuka Central United Party for National Development (UPND) MP, Garry Nkombo, wanted to present on Wednesday March 5 had been deferred to Friday, March 7. He said this was aimed at giving enough time for consultations.

The Speaker also reserved the ruling on a point order raised on whether opposition UPND leader, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, was in order to urge opposition MPs especially those from his party to continue disrupting business in the House.