SPEAKER of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda has barred MPs from disrupting proceedings in the House by raising unnecessary points of order that are not supported by Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders (SROs).
BY VENERANDA LANGA
Mudenda last week described such disruptions, which were now common in the National Assembly, as “abuse of the House proceedings” and “frivolous vexatious points”.
“There are two serious matters that I want MPs to pay attention to, and the first one is the abuse of House procedures relative to points of order (Standing Rule and Order Number 85 subsection 2 of the National Assembly) that provides that no member shall interrupt another member while speaking, save with the consent of that member or unless to call attention to a point of order or breach of privilege suddenly arising or to call attention to the want of a quorum,” Mudenda said.
“I hereby direct that with immediate effect, no point of order shall be admitted for consideration unless the member raising this gives specific reference to the Standing Rule and Order that is allegedly being impugned or violated.”
The Speaker said he had realised that the rule was prone to abuse by MPs during debates.
“I noted with concern that this Standing Rule and Order is prone to abuse as more often than not, members rise from their seats to raise frivolous and vexatious points of order which are not supported by authority in the form of the Constitution, statutes law, SROs, or known customs and practices,” he said.
MPs usually use the points of order to redicule or disrupt debate by their rivals, leading to chaos in the House.
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Zanu PF and opposition legislators often engage in heated debate in the National Assembly and some use the points of order to swing the arguments in their favour.
