Rude Mweetwa dares speaker
Dr Matibini made the ruling based on a point of order which was raised in February this year by Mandevu MP Jean Kapata.
Ms Kapata had said that the Choma Central MP on Diamond TV’s “COSTA” programme attacked the Vice- President during the interview by using derogatory remarks.
She added that Mr Mweetwa rode on the Member’s question to attack the Vice-President in the media.
Making the ruling yesterday, the Speaker said that Mr Mweetwa attacked another member’s freedom of speech and debate outside the House. He said that the freedom of speech and debate in the House was a fundamental privilege guaranteed to MPs under the law and parliamentary practice and procedure.
“It is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make speeches, or to print or publish any libels, reflecting on the character or proceedings of the House or its Committees, or any member of the House for or relating to his character or conduct as a member of Parliament.
“Speeches and writings reflecting on the House or its Committees or Members are punished by the Houses as a contempt on the principle that such acts will tend to obstruct the Houses in the performance of their functions by diminishing the respect due to them,” Dr Matibini said.
The Speaker stated that members were entitled to go about their parliamentary business undisturbed.
He added that assaulting, menacing, or insulting of any member on account of his behaviour during a proceeding in Parliament, is a violation of the rights of
Parliament.
Dr Matibini said that the Office of the Clerk wrote to Diamond Television to request for the video recording of the ‘COSTA’ programme on which Mr Mweetwa featured.
He also told the House that the Mast Newspaper, Edition Number. 1206 for Tuesday, February 25, 2020, published an article on the Costa Programme entitled: “Wina Shallow, Shameful to Link Gas Attacks to Regime Change – Mweetwa.”
Dr Matibini explained that the office of the Clerk also wrote to the Mast Newspaper to confirm whether or not the statements alleged to have been made by Mr Mweetwa were correctly attributed to him.
“Honourable Members, in his response to the letter from the Office of the Clerk, Mr Mweetwa, denied attacking the persona of Her Honour the Vice-President, as alleged in the Point of Order, by calling her shallow and shameful,” the Speaker said.
“Members, in view of the foregoing, I find Mr Mweetwa, MP, to have been out of order, in breach of parliamentary privilege, and in contempt of the House.
“In view of the foregoing, I have decided to admonish him in accordance with section 28 (1) (b) of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, Cap 12 of the Laws of Zambia,” he said.
Dr Matibini then asked Mr Mweetwa to apologise but the Choma MP said he could not apologise for exercising his freedom of expression.
Mr Mweetwa insisted that the Vice President should instead apologise for allegedly misleading the nation.
After several attempts of asking him to apologise, he maintained his stance and walked out with some UPND MPs.