Parliament Approves Motion To Restore Bill 10

Parliament has approved the motion to restore on the Order Paper, the Constitution Bill number 10 in Parliament and other Bills that were not concluded before the House adjourned sini die.

Vice President Inonge Wina moved a motion to restore on the Order Paper, the Constitution Bill number 10 in Parliament.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Jack Mwiimbu, Deputy Chief Whip Tutwa Ngulube and Justice Minister Given Lubinda debated the motion.

Deputy Chief Whip Tutwa Ngulube said that Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Jack Mwiimbu wqas misleading Zambians about Bill Number 10, adding that PF will be in power with or without Bill Number 10.

Mr Ngulube said that the constitutional issue is something that was widely consulted with UPND MPs joining the meeting in Siavonga to remove anomalies in the constitution and that no one should rush to the Constitutional Court once they lose elections in 2021 if the constitutional issue is not amended.

The Deputy Chief Whip was reacting to Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Jack Mwiimbu who walked away after opposing the restoration of Bill 10.

The Vice President moved the motion in line with Standing Order 126 (1) of the National Assembly of Zambia which has allowed the restoration of Bills presented to the House in the Fourth Sessions of the Twelfth National Assembly.

In her motion, Vice-President Wina said this is because the Bills were not concluded in the last session due to the abrupt adjournment of the House caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Madam Speaker, I beg to move that in terms of Standing Order 126 (1) of the National Assembly of Zambia Standing Orders 2016, this House restores unto the order paper the following Bills.

Other Bills restored on the Order Paper include the National Planning and Budgeting, the National Forensic and the Food and Nutrition.

Also restored are the Patents and Companies Registration Agency and the Landlord and Tenant Act for amendments as well as the National Council for Construction and the Food Reserve Bill.

And Justice Minister Given Lubinda stated that no one should debate any part of the Bill because the debate is simply on the restoration of the Bills on the Order paper and time for debate will come.

This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times