20/11/2024
SPEAKER HAS SAVED PETAUKE ELECTORATES - MULENGA
By Beatrice Chabaya
Governance and Development Advocates Zambia has expressed support for the speaker's decision to give Petauke Central law Maker Emmanuel jay Banda a seven-day ultimatum, stating that the decision is in the best interest of the people of Petauke, who have been without a parliamentary representative for months.
Organisations' Executive Director Elias Mulenga stated that the seven-day ultimatum for Mr Banda to report to the National Assembly, or risk losing his parliamentary seat, follows a majority vote by MPs in the House, in response to his prolonged absence due to his ongoing legal troubles.
Mr Mulenga said the delay in declaring Banda’s seat vacant attributed to several factors on the process of declaring a parliamentary seat vacant as it involves multiple legal and procedural steps to be taken.
"The decision of the Speaker of the national Assembly does not violet the Constitution in any way, the Constitution of Zambia addresses the issue of absentee Members of Parliament in Article 71 of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016. According to this article, a Member of Parliament shall vacate their seat if they are absent from the National Assembly for a period prescribed by an Act of Parliament without the permission of the Speaker this provision ensures that MPs fulfill their duties and responsibilities to their constituents by attending parliamentary sessions regularly. If an MP fails to do so, their seat can be declared vacant, prompting a by-election to ensure continued representation for their constituencies", he said.
Mr Mulenga said that despite having by elections just a year before general elections, being costly, it is necessary because the people of Petauke have Ben without representation for a long time.
"without their elected MP actively participating in parliamentary sessions, their interests and concerns may not be adequately voiced or addressed which can l
