RULING BY THE HON MADAM FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED ON 2ND AUGUST, 2024 BY HONOURABLE C MWEETWA, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND MEDIA, AGAINST OPPOSITION MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR MISCONDUCTING THEMSELVES DURING THE ADDRESS AND DEPARTURE OF HIS EXCELLENCY MR EVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE, PRESIDENT OF BURUNDI 

 

 

Honourable Members, the House will recall that on Friday, 2nd August, 2024, immediately after the Vice President’s Question Time, Honourable C Mweetwa, MP, Minister of Information and Media, raised a Point of Order. The Point of Order was premised on the precedents, practices, traditions and customs of this House and Standing Order 117 of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024.

 

In his Point of Order, Honourable C Mweetwa, MP, raised two issues as follows:

 

(i) Whether the Members of Parliament on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left were in order to misconduct themselves by making running commentaries during the address by the President of Burundi, especially when he mentioned the donation that his country was giving to Zambia; and

(ii) whether the Members on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left were in order to spring up singing as the President of Burundi was exiting the Chamber.

 

Honourable Members, in her immediate response, the Honourable Madam Speaker reserved her ruling in order for her to study the matter.  I have studied the matter and will now render the ruling. 

 

Honourable Members, the Point of Order by Honourable C Mweetwa, MP, raises the issue of Members causing disorder during an address by a visiting dignitary.

 

Standing Order 215 (d) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024, states as follows:

 

“215. Gross disorderly conduct 

A member commits an act of gross disorderly conduct if the member – 

 

(d) attempts to or causes disorder of whatever nature during an address by the President or a visiting dignitary.”

 

Honourable Members, I had recourse to the verbatim record and relevant recording of the proceedings of Friday, 2nd August, 2024. I will now address the issue raised in the Point of Order.

 

Honourable Members, Honourable C Mweetwa, MP, alleged that Members on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left were making running commentaries during the President of Burundi’s address, especially after he announced the donation of 5,000 metric tonnes of maize, rice and beans that his country was giving to Zambia. Although the video footage and the verbatim record of that day’s proceedings did not capture the audio running commentaries, those who were present in the House including myself, remember the running commentaries which were being made during the visiting President’s address. In particular, when the visiting President announced the donation of the 5,000 metric tonnes of maize, rice and beans to assist Zambia as a result of the devasting drought of 2023-2024 based on the African principle of UBUNTU, some members made very disrespectful remarks which were aimed at belittling the gesture from the people of Burundi and to also blame the government of the Republic of Zambia for the misfortune. Those utterances were not only disrespectful and shameful, but also unparliamentary.  It is not decent for anyone, let alone Honourable Members of Parliament, to act in such a manner towards a visiting head of state or anyone else who exhibits a good gesture.

 

Further, Honourable Members, Honourable C Mweetwa, MP, alleged that the Members on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left sprung up and started singing as the visiting dignitary was exiting the Chamber. The verbatim record of the material day confirms that the Members on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left started singing after the visiting dignitary and the Honourable Madam Speaker had exited the Chamber, and not at the time of exiting as alleged.  The video footage reveals that some Members on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left could be heard singingafter the visiting dignitary and the Honourable Madam Speaker had left the Chamber.  Unfortunately, the verbatim did not capture which Members were singing.

 

That notwithstanding, I wish to take this opportunity to remind you, Honourable Members that the conduct of singing exhibited by some of the Members on the Honourable Madam Speaker’s left as the visiting President existed the Chamber, on Friday, 2nd August, 2024, is a serious breach of our Standing Orders and can attract severe punishment to the erring Member.  I, therefore, urge you Honourable Members to desist from such misbehaviour, which is unbefitting of the status of Honourable Members of Parliament.As Honourable Members, you are expected, at all times to conduct yourselves in a manner that upholds the dignity, integrity and decorum of the House as provided for under Standing Order 213 (1) of the National Assembly of Zambia, Standing Orders, 2024. 

 

Additionally, in relation to Members making running commentaries, I have noted that there is a growing and worrying trend by Members of this house to make running commentaries, some of which are vulgar and disrespectful, when the Speaker’s procession is entering or leaving the Chamber. You are hereby cautioned against such acts as they demean the dignity of this House.  The Speaker’s procession is supposed to be a solemn moment depicting the commencement of business of the House, which is a serious event from now forth with, Members will be expected to observe the necessary decorum.

 

Honourable Members, I also noted that the Honourable Minister based his Point of Order on Standing Order 117 of the National Assembly of Zambia, Standing Orders, 2024.  However, Standing Order 117 relates to Consolidation of Orders on Bills and is, therefore, not applicable in this instance.

 

In that regard, I urge Honourable Members of this House to familiarise themselves with the new Standing Orders to ensure that correct provisions are cited in future.

 

I thank you.