Mon, 01 Jan 2018 10:36:48 +0000
THERE is nothing unusual for me to talk to members of the opposition because I am Minister of Home Affairs for the entire country, says Stephen Kampyongo.
Mr. Kampyongo also says all Members of Parliament belong to one legislative arm of government and same parliamentary committees.
In a phone interview from Shiwang’andu, Mr. Kampyongo said it was only an ill-informed cadre who wanted to make an issue out of his phone conversation with UPND Mazabuka Central MP Garry Nkombo.
“I am the Minister of Home Affairs for the entire country, Zambia is a multi-party democracy as provided for by the law. What is true is that I communicate with all fellow members of parliament on national matters and I am part of the process of administering the Public Order Act. “It is not unusual for members of the opposition to seek guidance and advice from me and for me to caution them in certain circumstances. I have contact numbers for the opposition just as they have. So if an ill-informed cadre, who is not even part of the structures, wants to make an issue out of that, it is clear ignorance of how governance is,” Mr. Kampyongo said.
He added: “I speak to most, if not all, Members of Parliament be it from the ruling party or opposition because I am minister for the entire nation. Issues of the Public Order Act affect everyone and it is not only Garry Nkombo I speak to. Yesterday (Friday) I spoke to the MP for Kapiri Mposhi and Garry Nkombo being their chief whip, he wanted to help the honourable member who wanted guidance on the gathering they wanted to have in Kapiri Mposhi
“All political parties that are registered under my ministry through the Registrar of Societies have a right to access my office on matters of security and other matters of national interest. I speak to all the opposition presidents and so they (cadres) should know that.”
Mr. Kampyongo, who is also Shiwang’andu MP, said all Members of Parliament belonged to one legislative arm of government, be it opposition or ruling party.
“We belong to the same committees, we eat on the same tables and we sleep in the same apartments. It is just ignorance of the worst order. That is what happens when people are not part of party structures, they don’t understand. But let them not get excited because this year coming we have resolved to restore discipline in the party.
“We are not going to entertain anymore indiscipline in the party. This indiscipline is coming from those who are not even in the structures of the party. They want to think that the party owes them something, that we as leaders owe them something,” Mr Kampyongo said.
