RULING BY THE HON MADAM SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED ON WEDNESDAY 11th JUNE, 2025, BY MR B MPUNDU, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR NKANA CONSTITUENCY AGAINST HONOURABLE M CHIKOTE, MP, MINISTER OF ENERGY FOR FAILING TO DISCLOSE THE PURCHASE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY BY COPPERBELT ENERGY CORPORATION (CEC) PLC FROM ZESCO LIMITED DUE TO A NON-DISCLOSURE CLAUSE CONTAINED IN THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT 

Honourable Members, the House will recall that on Wednesday, 11th June, 2025, when the House was considering Question for Oral Answer No. 289 and Mr Y Mutayachalo, Member of Parliament for Chama North Constituency was on the floor, Mr B Mpundu, Member of Parliament for Nkana Constituency raised a Point of Order. The Point of Order was raised pursuant to the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024.

In his Point of Order, Mr B Mpundu, MP, inquired whether Honourable M Chikote, MP, Minister of Energy, was in order not to reveal the purchase price of electricity by Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC) from ZESCO Ltd due to a non-disclosure clause contained in the bilateral agreement.

In my immediate response, I reserved my ruling in order for me to study the matter. I have since studied the matter and will now render my ruling.
Hon Members, I wish, once more, to take this opportunity to address the issue relating to admissibility of Points of Order. 

Hon Members, Standing Order 139 (3) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders, 2024, requires a Member who wishes to raise a Point of Order to cite the Standing Order, law on privilege of Members, rule of procedure or practice that has been allegedly breached. Further, Standing Order 139 (4) provides that where a Member does not cite the Standing Order, law on privileges of Members, rule of procedure or practice breached, the presiding officer may insist on him or her doing so, and if he or she fails or does not adequately do so, the presiding officer may rule that the Point of Order is inadmissible.

Hon Members, a review of the verbatim record of Wednesday, 11th June, 2025, reveals that Mr B Mpundu, MP, did not cite the specific Standing Order, law on privilege of Members, rule of procedure or practice that was breached as required by Standing Order 139 (3). In that regard, the Point of Order raised by Mr B Mpundu, MP, is inadmissible.

I THANK YOU.