Speaker’s Ruling To Order Mps Whose Seats Were Nullified To Leave The House Unacceptable

PATRIOTIC Front Vice President says the decision by the Speaker of the National Assembly to order nine Members of Parliament whose seats were nullified to vacate the house is totally unacceptable.

Speaking when he addressed the media in Lusaka, Given Lubinda said the party has since issued instructions to its legal team to approach the judiciary and determine if the ruling by the speaker can not be identified as nonsensical, illogical and unconstitutional.

Mr Lubinda said the legal team has also been tasked  to ask the judiciary whether or not,  it is their duty to ensure they take measures to deter others from bleaching the doctrine of sub-judice. He added that the team is also expected to find out if what Ms Nelly Mutti did is not contempt of court, because she commented on a matter that is actively in the courts of law.

“The only body in the country that can make a ruling on the nullified seats in parliament is the constitutional court and no other,” he said.Mr Lubinda has since directed the nine affected members of parliament to go and sit in the gallery during the today’s Parliamentary proceedings. The PF Vice President has further reminded Ms Mutti that her role is to chair meetings and not to interpret the law.“

Parliament is not set up to interpret the law and the chair of the meetings can not give himself or herself the power to do so,” he stated.Mr Lubinda has advised Ms Mutti to leave the interpretation of the law to the judiciary.

Yesterday, Speaker of the National Assembly Ms  Nelly Mutti ordered nine members of parliament whose seats were nullified by the High court during the petitions to vacate the house until the time when the cases are concluded.