Speaker cracks the whip on unruly Members of Parliament

IN what appears to send a strong message to stubborn law makers in the National Assembly, who have consistently been using indecent language in the debating chamber, House Speaker Job Ndugai has said his office will start dealing with them decisively from now on.

Mr Ndugai issued the warning, yesterday, just few minutes after the Parliament passed a resolution to forgive three opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) who were convicted of using abusive and indecent language to the Speaker by the Parliamentary Immunities, Powers and Privileges Committee.

The House further let off the hook the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Paul Makonda and Arumeru District Commissioner (DC), Alexander Mnyeti who were summoned by the Committee after they issued abusive language against the law makers.

The MPs who were forgiven are: Hai legislator and leader of the official Opposition in Parliament, Freeman Mbowe; Bunda MP, Esther Bulaya and the Kawe legislator, Halima Mdee, all of them on Chadema ticket.

Parliamentarians suggested that the three MPs, the Dar es Salaam RC and Arumeru DC be forgiven because they had asked for forgiveness after they were summoned to appear before the Parliamentary Committee for interrogation after issuing derogatory statement against the Speaker as well as behaving in a manner that disrupted National Assembly proceedings.

Presenting the Parliamentary Immunities, Powers and Privileges Committee’s report on the blatant disregard of the respect of the House, the Committee’s Deputy Chairman, Almas Maige, said it had proved beyond reasonable doubt, after gathering enough evidence that the three MPs and two presidential appointees were guilty. However, the Committee said Mr Mbowe and Ms Bulaya were forgiven after they pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness and so do the two presidential appointees.

The Committee had suggested that Ms Mdee be suspended from attending all the remaining parliamentary budget sessions, because she kept on committing the same mistakes although she had already been punished for such errors.

But, during their contributions, prior to the endorsement of the Committee’s recommendations, virtually all MPs pleaded to the Speaker of the National Assembly that the Kawe MP be forgiven and later voted in her favour.

In their contributions MPs Joseph Selasini (Rombo - Chadema), Kangi Lugola (Mwibara - CCM), Peter Serukamba (Kigoma North -CCM) and Hawa Ghasia (Mtwara Rural - CCM) supported the move to forgive Ms Mdee. But the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and Disabled, Jenister Mhagama moved a motion to make partial amendments on the resolution to ban Ms Mdee from attending the remaining parliamentary sessions.

“I suggest that Ms Mdee be forgiven under a condition that should she repeat the same mistake in Parliament, her punishment should be implemented by the Speaker without subjecting her to the Parliamentary Committee for interrogation,’’ she moved. All MPs gave a nod to the Minister’s motion and they agreed that the Kawe lawmaker be left to continue attending the remaining sessions.

However, her Bunda counterpart was given a warning despite being forgiven. “Ms Bulaya will be served with a warning letter as it has been suggested by the Committee,’’ said the House Speaker.

Mr Ndugai, who visibly spoke with quite an unusual tone to send a message to MPs that he was angry, came out strongly yesterday that there will be no more business as usual, insisting that he will not tolerate MPs who are issuing derogative statements in Parliament.

“I support you in that we forgive the MPs, who were quizzed by my Committee, but I want to state clearly that in future I won’t tolerate them because we can’t continue that way,” he stressed.

He further warned Parliament employees who were writing speeches for the opposition to use decent language, otherwise they risk losing their jobs. “You should remember that my office is paying your salaries, even if you work from the opposition offices … I am surprised to see you writing speeches that are accusing me senselessly,’’ he added.