RULING BY THE HON MR SPEAKER ON A POINT OF ORDER RAISED BY HON G LUBINDA, MP, MINISTER OF JUSTICE, AGAINST MR K S MICHELO, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR BWEENGWA PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY FOR STATING THAT THE ADDRESS BY HER EXCELLENCY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE FEDERATION COUNCIL OF THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION WAS NOT IMPORTANT

 

 

Hon Members will recall that on Tuesday, 18th February, 2020, when the House was considering Question for Oral Answer No. 155 and the Hon Member of Parliament for Sikongo Parliamentary Constituency, Mr M Ndalamei, MP, was on the Floor, Hon G Lubinda, MP, Minister of Justice raised a Point of Order against Mr K S Michelo, Member of Parliament for Bweengwa Parliamentary Constituency.

 

The gist of the Point of Order was whether Mr K S Michelo, MP, was in order to refer to the address to the National Assembly on 18th February, 2020, by her Excellency the Chairperson of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, as unimportant.

 

In her immediate response, the Hon Madam First Deputy Speaker reserved her ruling to review the record to determine whether such a comment was made.  The context in which Hon G Lubinda, MP, Minister of Justice raised the point of order is as follows.

 

Hon Members, on the material day, Mr C Mweetwa, Member of Parliament for Choma Central Parliamentary Constituency, rose on a Point of Order to ask why a ministerial statement on the security situation following the gassing incidents in the country had not been rendered by the Hon Minister of Home Affairs as directed by the Speaker. In responding to the Point of Order, the Hon Madam First Deputy Speaker explained that the Hon Minister of Home Affairs was unable to render the Ministerial Statement because of the Address by the Chairperson of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. In this regard, the Point of Order by Hon G Lubinda, MP, alleged that while the Hon Madam First Deputy Speaker was responding to Mr C Mweetwa’s Point of Order, Mr K S Michelo, MP, made running commentaries to the effect that the address by her Excellency the Chairperson of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, was not important.

 

Hon Members, my office had recourse to the verbatim transcript and listened to the relevant recording of the proceedings as follows:

 

“Madam First Deputy Speaker: Hon Member.

 

Mr Mweetwa: In Choma, last night, students at Choma Medical School were gassed.  So, I am now wondering.  If Mr Speaker directs that a ministerial statement should be brought to this House and it does not come, what is the state of affairs?  I need your ruling.

 

I thank you, Madam Speaker.

 

Mr Michelo: It was not even important.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: The state of affairs, as the House will guess, is that, because of the address by Her Excellency the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, it was not possible for the hon Minister of Home Affairs…

 

Mr Michelo: It was not even important.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Mr Michelo: It was not important.

 

Madam First Deputy Speaker: Order!

 

Hon Members, let me conclude my remarks without running commentaries.”

 

This material conclusively established that Mr K S Michelo, MP, did, indeed, make running commentaries, and utter the words complained of by the Hon Minister of Justice. 

 

Hon Members, it goes without saying that running commentaries disrupt the smooth transaction of business of the House. In this regard, the rules of the House proscribe Honourable Members from making running commentaries. To this effect paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 of Chapter Five of the Members’ Handbook, 2006 states as follows:

 

“5. Members should not interrupt any Member while speaking by disorderly expression or noises or in any disorderly manner.

6. Members should maintain silence when not speaking in the House.

7. Members should not obstruct proceedings, or interrupt and should avoid making running commentaries when another Member is speaking.”

 

Therefore, based on the authority cited above, Mr K S Michelo, MP, was out of order.

 

Further, Hon Members, I wish to state that the importance of the address by Her Excellency the Chairperson of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to this House cannot be overemphasised.  In the address, Her Excellency indicated that co-operation with Zambia was one of Russia’s priorities.  She further highlighted various areas in which Russia was collaborating with the Republic of Zambia; notably in the education and energy sectors.  

 

Hon Members, it is, therefore, extremely regrettable that an Hon Member could denigrate the address to the National Assembly by Her Excellency the Chairperson of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.  The conduct of Mr K S Michelo, MP, is unacceptable, and undermines the decorum and dignity of the House.  The sentiment of Mr Michelo, MP, on Her Excellency’s Address does not of course reflect the position of this August House.  Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of this House, and ensure that the correct position of the House on the Address is upheld, I direct the Office of the Clerk to expunge Mr Michelo MP’s running commentaries from the Hansard. 

 

In conclusion, Hon Members, I wish to caution those Members in the habit of making running commentaries and generally conducting themselves in an undignified manner in the House to, henceforth, desist from such conduct. 

 

I THANK YOU.

 

______________