By JAMES KUNDA –

PARLIAMENTARY proceedings yesterday almost ended in a near punch-up between the ruling party and opposition members as the House was considering a motion for the Government to raise the external and internal debt ceiling.

The motion was moved by Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda for Parliament to authorise the minister of Finance to sign a Statutory Instrument (SI) allowing the Government to increase the borrowing threshold to sustain development programmes.
As Mr Chikwanda was winding up his debate, he alluded to the fact that a named opposition political party could not form Government due to the exclusivity in picking leaders from one particular region of the country.
Mr Chikwanda’s comment angered United Party for National Development (UPND) members of Parliament (MPs) who ganged up demanding that the minister withdraws his statement.
Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini convinced the opposition members to calm down, but when Mr Chikwanda resumed his remarks, he said the Patriotic Front (PF) was a role model of diversity in leadership.
This again aggrieved the UPND MPs who raised hands against the executive wing of the House, issuing statements that caused tempers on both sides to flair.
Katombora UPND MP Derrick Livune took off his jacket and started charging towards the executive wing apparently targeting Roan PF MP Chishimba Kambwili.
Mr Livune was, however, restrained by parliamentary security officers who had charged into the House when matters were seemingly going out of hand.
In the confusion, Solwezi West UPND MP Teddy Kasonso and Mufumbwe PF MP Stephen Masumba embroiled themselves in a heated argument and had to be separated by security personnel.
The MPs on both ends continued exchanging words for nearly 10 minutes with Clerk of the National Assembly Doris Mwinga at pains to calm the situation.
Dr Matibini finally restored order to the House and told Mr Chikwanda to withdraw his statement.
The minister, however, declined to do so as he did not mention any political party during his statement.
Calm was restored and the House went on to vote in the affirmative that the debt ceiling should be raised from K60 billion to K160 billion for external loans payable in a period of more than one year.
The ceiling for domestic loans payable over a period of not more than one year also increased from K13 billion to K30 billion.
Dr Matibini put the question to a vote via the electronic system after UPND MPs called a division.
Out of 109 present MPs, 79 voted in favour of the motion while 30 voted against and none abstained.
Those who voted in the affirmative represented 72.48 per cent of the MPs while the 30 constituted 27.52 per cent.