RULING BY THE HON MADAM SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED ON FRIDAY, 10TH MARCH, 2023, BY MR R C MUTALE, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CHITAMBO CONSTITUENCY AGAINST HON C MULENGA, MP, MINISTER OF COMMERCE, TRADE AND INDUSTRY, FOR ALLEGEDLY RAISING THE UNITED PARTY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (UPND) PARTY SYMBOL IN THE HOUSE

Hon Members, the House will recall that on Friday, 10th March, 2023, when the House was considering Question for Oral Answer No. 192, and the Hon Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Hon C Milupi, MP, was about to respond to the question, Mr R Mutale, Member of Parliament for Chitambo Constituency, raised a Point of Order. The Point of Order was made pursuant to Standing Order 204 (2) (j) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2021 which states, in part, as follows: 
“204. Parliamentary Decorum and Etiquette
(2) A member shall observe the following rules of parliamentary etiquette:
(j) a member shall not shout political party slogans or display political flags, emblems or any such articles in  the House.”

In his Point of Order, Mr R C Mutale, MP, inquired whether Hon C Mulenga, MP, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry was in order to raise the United Party for National Development (UPND) symbol in the House.

Hon Members, in her immediate response, the Hon Madam First Deputy Speaker reserved her ruling in order to study the matter. I have since studied the matter and will now render my ruling. 

Hon Members, in order to ascertain whether Hon C Mulenga, MP, had indeed displayed the UPND symbol, as alleged, I had recourse to the verbatim record and relevant video footage for the proceedings of Friday, 10th March, 2023. Hon Members, neither the verbatim record nor the video footage captured Hon C Mulenga, MP, raising the UPND symbol in the House as alleged by Mr R Mutale, MP. In this regard, there is no evidence that Hon C Mulenga, MP, raised the UPND symbol. He was, therefore, not out of order.
I thank you.