|
Makinda: No penalty for MPs who boycotted ongoing House sessions
2008-04-16 09:47:03
By Lydia Shekighenda, Dodoma
Opposition legislators who boycotted the ongoing House session, will not be penalised, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Anna Makinda said on Monday.
Makinda said the boycott by MPs when protesting against what they termed as Chama Cha Mapinduzi`s contravention of the Zanzibar accord reached together with the Civic United Front ``is a minor issue.``
``It was just a normal occurence, which happens in many Commonwealth countries, as parliamentarians express their concerns and feelings in a democratic manner,`` she observed.
Last week, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Samuel Sitta told the House that the action of the opposition MPs was improper, and sought to consult with the Parliamentary Rights, Ethics and Powers Committee over action against them.
The Speaker downplayed CUF MPs` argument that CCM National Executive Committee had failed to endorse coalition government in Zanzibar, and urged it was not related to the ongoing House business.
He had accordingly suspended allowances for all MPs who had boycotted, before meeting with the Rights, Ethics and Powers Committee to deliberate over the matter.
The Deputy Speaker announced yesterday that no disciplinary measures would be taken against the opposition MPs.
``It is not the first time opposition MPs have walked out of Parliament. They have done this on a number of occasions,`` she said.
Twenty eight out of 32 MPs who had boycotted the ongoing session returned to the House on Monday.
They said they have succeeded in sensitizing the public and the world on their position against the proposed on referendumon the accord.
Opposition leader in the Parliament, Hamad Rashid Mohamed, said on Sunday that the MPs who walked out of the House were ready for any eventuality.
|
