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Advocate Mudenda

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda has warned errant Members of Parliament who constantly disrupt the smooth flow of business in the chamber by unnecessarily raising points of order. Adv Mudenda said he had observed the “bad habit” of abuse of parliamentary rules that allow lawmakers to rise without notice to invite the attention of presiding officers on a breach of standing rules.

He said this on Tuesday while warning Members of Parliament that he would invoke the necessary legal statutes to censor such legislators.

“The chair has observed a disturbing trend whereby honourable members have developed a tendency of abusing Standing Orders pertaining to the raising of Points of Order and Points of Privilege in the House,” said Adv Mudenda.

“The chair wishes to clarify the procedure for raising Points of Order and Points of Privilege as follows; Points of Order cannot be raised because a member is not happy with another member’s contribution.

“In fact, the majority of Points of Order in the Eighth Parliament have been in this category.

“A member raising a Point of Order should simply direct the presiding officer to the point complained of by citing the Standing Order or practice being violated.”

Adv Mudenda said a point of privilege should be raised for the immediate attention of a presiding officer.

“A Point of Privilege is raised by a member to raise a complaint of breach of privilege or contempt which requires the immediate attention of the House,” he said.

“The Point of Privilege should thus clearly state the breach that should be addressed by the House. Honourable members should, therefore, be guided accordingly and not abuse the rules of the House.”

Proceedings of the House have on several occasions been disrupted by backbenchers who constantly rise on a point of order on issues that had been deemed petty by presiding officers.

Such conduct is rife during the question and answer session on Wednesdays, where proceedings would be beamed live on national television, as legislators strive to outdo each other in a bid to attract the attention of viewers.

This has in most cases had the effect of derailing debate or motions.