Speaker endorses opposition MPs punishment

SPEAKER of the National Assembly
Anne Makinda maintained yesterday
that the five- day suspension slapped
on opposition Chief Whip Tundu Lissu
(Singida East -Chadema) and five other
MPs from the opposition party by
Deputy Speaker Job Ndugai was in line
with Standing Orders of the House .
The Leader of the official opposition ,
Mr Freeman Mbowe ( Hai -Chadema) ,
had on Thursday sought guidance of
the chair on whether the suspension
had adhered to Standing Order
number 72 (3 ) of the august House .
“ Mr Lissu breached Order number 60
(12) by undermining the chair of the
Speaker, hence , deserved the
punishment,” Ms Makinda said on
Friday while stating her position on
the guidance sought by Mr Mbowe.
The MPs were given marching orders
from the debating chambers on
Wednesday by Deputy Speaker Job
Ndugai during contributions on the
debate on budget estimates of the
President’ s Office comprising Public
Service Management , Good
Governance and Relations and
Coordination.
Apart from Lissu, the other Chadema
MPs who were also slapped with the
suspension for protecting sergeants at
arms from ejecting Lissu from the
debating chambers are Mr Joseph
Mbilinyi (Mbeya Urban) and Rev Peter
Msigwa (Iringa Urban) , Mr Highness
Kiwia (Ilemela ), Mr Godbless Lema
(Arusha Urban ) and Ezekia Wenje
(Nyamagana ).
“ The decision made by Deputy
Speaker was lawful and it would be
recorded for future reference and any
MP who misbehaves in future will face
the same punishment ,” Ms Makinda
explained , noting that the conduct by
the MPs demonstrated “ indiscipline of
the highest order .”
Events that led to the suspension
started at about 07: 35pm on
Wednesday when Iramba West MP ,
Mr Mwigulu Nchemba ( CCM ) was
contributing on the debate to the
budget estimates for fiscal year
2013/ 2014 for the President’ s Office.
As Mr Nchemba was contributing to
the debate, Mr Lissu stood on point of
information but he was turned down
by the Deputy Speaker who instead
allowed Special Seats MP , Ms Suzan
Kiwanga, to make a point of
information .
Earlier during the debate, Mr Lissu
had on several occasions stood on
either point of information or seeking
guidance of the chair while other MPs
were making contributions and this
irked Mr Ndugai. “ Why is it that you
always want to interrupt others while
they are contributing to the debate?
You had a chance of making your
contribution and you were not
interrupted. Are you doing this
because you are an MP for the first
time?” Mr Ndugai queried .
The Deputy Speaker , thus , ordered
sergeants at arms to take Mr Lissu out
of the debating chambers . Mr Lissu
did not heed to the order and he was
supported by fellow Chadema MPs
who were trying to block him from
being sent out of the House . At this
juncture , a fracas of sort ensued and
Mr Ndugai also slapped five days
suspension on the other MPs who
were trying to block Mr Lissu from
being ejected out the House .
Meanwhile, Speaker Makinda
announced on Friday appointment of
three chairs of the parliament namely
Jenista Mhagama ( Peramiho- CCM ) ,
Mussa Azzan Zungu ( Ilala -CCM ) and
Mohammed Seif Khatib (Uzini- CCM ) .
Mr Khatib assumes the post of
Sylvester Mabumba ( Dole- CCM ) while
Zungu and Mhagama have retained
their positions. The three names were
recommended by the Steering
Committee of the National Assembly
and approved by the House yesterday