'MPs from Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) ordered out of Parliament'

Opposition MPs walking out of the august house yesterday are: Tundu Lissu (Singida-East), Mr Godbless Lema (Arusha) and the Reverend Peter Msigwa (Iringa Urban)


THREE opposition members of parliament (MPs)from the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) were thrown out of Parliament yesterday for what the deputy speaker described as violating Parliamentary Standing Orders.

The lawmakers who were sent out of the House Chamber by deputy speaker Job Ndugai from the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) during the morning session were the opposition's chief whip Tundu Lissu (Singida-East), Mr Godbless Lema (Arusha) and the Reverend Peter Msigwa (Iringa Urban).

Deputy Speaker Job Ndugai’s action brought to four the total number of Chadema MPs who have been thrown out of the House in the past two days.

On Wednesday, Mr Ezekiel Wenje (Nyamagana-Chadema) was also shown the door for disobeying orders to sit down.

Mr Ndugai said the MPs had violated Standing Order, Section 60 (2) that says an MP is not allowed to switch on his microphone to speak without permission.

The three MPs were demanding directions from the Deputy Speaker when the government chief whip, Mr William Lukuvi, said a speech by Mr Lema, the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs aimed at inciting people against their government.

Lukuvi, who is also the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy and Coordination), said Mr Lema’s speech amounted to incitement that was likely to jeopardise the country’s stability and also violated Standing Order, sections 64 (1) (a), (b), (f) and (g).

“We decided not to intervene while he was reading his speech,” the minister said, “because we (the government) wanted wananchi to hear what Mr Lema was saying so that they can judge for themselves.”

Mr Lukuvi identified the offending words as: “It is better we fight rather than live peacefully while we are denied our rights”; “Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice”; “The Arusha mayoral election was not legitimate.”

At this point, Mr Lissu intervened and asked why the deputy speaker allowed Mr Lukuvi to make a speech when, under the Standing Orders, an MP is allowed to make only a short statement when seeking the Deputy Speaker’s guidance.But Mr Ndugai ordered Mr Lissu to sit down as the Standing Orders do not allow MPs to seek the Deputy Speaker’s direction when another legislator was speaking.

Said the Deputy Speaker: “Mr Lissu, I demand that you sit down or I will take action against you.” As Mr Lissu obeyed the order, Mr Lema stood up and demanded the Deputy Speaker’s attention. He too was ordered to sit down and this annoyed Mr Msigwa, who shouted that the Deputy Speaker was favouring the government side of the august House. After Mr Msigwa calmed down, Mr Ndugai ordered the three MPs out of the Chamber for failing to obey the Chair and also violating Standing Orders.

Said Mr Ndugai: “Mr Lema and the Rev Msigwa; you have spoken without my permission hence violating Section 60 (2), so I order you to get out of the Chamber.” Although he did not specify how long the three MPs would stay away, the Standing Orders provide for suspension of up to five sessions.