The speaker of the Zambian parliament Patrick Matibini has declared that Geofrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) is no longer Kasama Central Member of Parliament because he has crossed the floor by accepting a position in the United Party for National Development.
GBM, who formerly served as Minister of Defence in the Michael Sata government, had held a press conference last week announcing his defection from the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) to the opposition, however at the same time claimed that he was not stepping down from his seat. UPND has since appointed him as Vice President of their party.
Matibini’s ruling responds to a point of order brought by Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila seeking the Speaker’s ruling whether it was in order for GBM to continue sitting in Parliament when he had resigned to join the UPND.
Mwila said this is especially the case in that the constitution states that if a member of parliament decides to join another political party he immediately loses the seat.
Then, UPND Monze Central member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu asked the Speaker whether it was in order for the UPND Members of Parliament serving in the PF Government to continue serving as UPND MPs when the previous Speaker of the National Assembly had ruled that any MP who crosses the floor loses his/her seat.
The speaker then reserved a ruling which he has made today.
GBM’s attempt to hold his seat while switching to a new party raised significant controversy among observers, who pointed to constitutional provisions and established precedent requiring the seat to be declared vacant.
As the speaker has now weighed in on the issue, the Kasama seat will be declared vacant triggering a by-election.
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