The third session of the 13th National Assembly, which adjourned sine die on Friday, December 15, 2023, will resume sitting next Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
Clerk of the National Assembly Roy Ngulube this would be a legislative meeting of the House, dedicated mainly to consideration of proposed legislation.
“Mr Ngulube is also encouraging citizens and various stakeholders to take interest in the proceedings and actively participate by making submissions through various committees of the House,” reads a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by National Assembly senior media liaison officer Nshamba Muzungu.
The previous session, which was a budget meeting, was officially opened By President Hakainde Hichilema on September 8, 2023 and sat for 55 days.
The sitting considered 164 questions, 25 ministerial statements, approved 20 bills, 16 annual reports of parastatals, 10 motions and passed the 2024 National Budget.
The sitting also saw the disouted installation of a new Patriotic Front (PF) leadership in the House, the changes being: Robert Chabinga taking over as leader of the opposition, ousting the self proclaimed legally chosen one Mporokoso PF MP Brian Mundubile and PF Kantanshi MP Anthony Mumba, who took over as party Chief Whip in the House, substituting Stephen Kampyongo.
The House also saw the suspension of 19 PF and independent MPs for periods varying between six weeks and a week for gross misconduct and indiscipline.
Petauke Central independent MP Emmanuel Banda walked away with the highest suspension of six weeks, followed by Mundubile and Kampyongo, with five weeks each, while Lunte PF MP Mutotwe Kafwaya and his Chinsali counterpart Kalalwe Mukosa each walk away with a week suspension.
Apart from Banda, Mundubile and Kampyongo: Mukosa, Kafwaya, Mulenga, Mabonga and Kang’ombe along with Nakonde PF MP Lukas Simumba, Feira PF MP Emmanuel Tembo, Mkushi North PF MP Davies Chisopa and his spouse, Lundazi PF MP Brenda Nyirenda were all eligible to return to the House.
Others were: Nkana independent MP Binwell Mpundu, Lumezi independent Munir Zulu, Mr Banda, Lukashya PF MP George Chisanga, Milanzi PF MP Melesiana Phiri, Mambilima PF MP Jean Chisenga, Chawama PF MP Tasila Lungu, Mfuwe PF MP Maureen Mabonga and Kalulushi PF MP Kampamba Chewe.
The suspension came in the wake of controversial altercations with the presiding officers of the House, particularly second deputy speaker Moses Moyo.
The sober Mundubile even lost his cool and engaged Moyo arguing that he would rather face though consequences for the sake of posterity.
Cub parliamentarian Kang’ombe could also not take it anymore albeit shocking Chief government spokesman Cornelius Mweetwa who rose on a point of order to suggest that the behaviour of the opposition had over degenerated into sheer chaos.
After the suspension, the cohort exhibited some level of reform albeit the House only sitting for a few days before adjournment.
Mundubile was however a no show for the few days, while Banda, infamously known as Jay Jay only saw the conclusion of his suspension post December.15.
