RULING BY THE HON MADAM SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED BY MR MENYANI ZULU, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR NYIMBA CONSTITUENCY, RAISED ON WEDNESDAY, 5TH OCTOBER, 2022 AGAINST MR M SIMUSHI, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SIKONGO CONSTITUENCY FOR ALLEGEDLY IMPLYING, DURING HIS DEBATE WHEN THE HOUSE WAS CONSIDERING THE MOTION OF SUPPLY, THAT HE KNEW IN ADVANCE PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN HIS CONSTITUENCY 

 

Hon Members will recall that on Wednesday, 5th October, 2022, when the House was considering the Motion of Supply and Mrs E Munashabantu, Member of Parliament for Mapatizya had just finished debating, Mr Menyani Zulu, Member of Parliament for Nyimba Constituency, raised a Point of Order. In his Point of Order, Mr Menyani Zulu, MP, alleged that Mr M Simushi, MP, had breached Standing Order 65, which states that a Member who is debating shall ensure that the information he or she provides to the House is factual and verifiable. 

He stated that Mr M Simushi, MP, misled the House by allegedly implying that he knew in advance projects that would be implemented in his constituency when the minister responsible had not circulated any information suggesting the distribution of infrastructure to be constructed country wide.

In his immediate response, the Hon Mr Second Deputy Speaker reserved his ruling. I have since studied the matter and will now render my ruling.

Hon Members, our rules on content of speech prohibit the making of unsubstantiated or unverified information in the House. To this effect, Standing Order 65 (1) (b) states as follows:

“(1) A member who is debating shall – 

(a) ...

(b) ensure that the information he or she provides to the House is factual and verifiable.”

Hon Members, I had recourse to the verbatim record of the debates for Wednesday, 5th October, 2022. In his debate, Mr M Simushi, MP, stated that he could attest to the fact that Sikongo would get one of the 120 secondary schools to be built with the help of the World bank, as stated by the Hon Minister of Finance and National Planning during the Budget presentation for 2023. Further, Mr M Simushi, MP, also stated that a mini-hospital would be constructed in Sikongo in 2023.  He, however, did not produce any evidence to substantiate his claim.

Hon Members, in this regard, to the extent that Mr M Simushi, MP, did not provide evidence to substantiate his claim that in 2023 Sikongo would get one of the secondary schools to be built with help from the World Bank, and a mini hospital he was in breach of Standing Order No. 65 (1) (b).

Mr M Simushi, MP, was, therefore, out of order.

I thank you.