THE Patriotic Front (PF) party leadership has directed its suspended Members of Parliament to utilise the Press to debate the Presidential speech on the progress made in the application of national values and principles.

This comes in the wake of the suspension of 30 PF MPs for 30 days for alleged misconduct on the day that lawmakers were to start debating the Presidential address on the progress made in the application of national values and principles.

Speaking yesterday, party Acting President Given Lubinda said it would not be bad to speculate that the suspension was well timed because they know that the PF MPs would have turned into pieces the report on national values.

He has since urged the suspended MPs to use the 30 days to represent the people by exposing the weakness of the report.

“In this 30 days, stick to the press and respond to that long report…..Go and expose the weaknesses in that address. The action you took, is about patriotism. Don’t be bothered about them talking about emoluments, you are there to represent the people of Zambia,” he said.

And Hon Lubinda has applauded the MPs for defending the Constitution.

Hon Lubinda said the country would have been embarrassed if PF members had not done what they did because an unconstitutional budget would have been debated upon.

He said the PF promised that it was not going to be an antagonist in opposition but a party that will assist the current regime to govern.

He said it is for this reason that the PF pointed out an error because all the provisions in the Budget like the much boasted about Constituency Development Fund (CDF) would have come to a standstill.

“I am just imagining what could have happened had the Budget of 2022 been passed with that Constitutional provision. Everything they are bragging about, would have come to a standstill. Had you walked out of Parliament instead of facing the Chairperson, who could have corrected this mistake?” he asked.

Hon Lubinda said the walk out of Parliament that the PF members were subjected to is NOT a walk of shame BUT a walk of Honour in defence of the Zambian Constitution.

“For correcting their error, they are calling you to take a walk of shame, you deserve to take a walk of Honour. The whole country is relying on you. All of you , you were standing there to show the Zambian people that you will not depart from defending the Constitution. I personally watched the entire process and stood with you in my House the very moment you were asked to stand up,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hon Lubinda said the non-aligned principle which the country has stood by for many years is slowly being done away with by the current regime.

“We maintained this position ever since the country was formed…. now Zambia has thrown away its principle of being a non aligned State. I heard a laughable statement made in Parliament that Zambia voted against War. In conflict, when you take sides, you are not condemning but fueling the War. All you are doing is saying the other wearing party is right. Let them continue,” he said.

Hon Lubinda added that the President seemingly does not understand why Zambia is part of the non aligned States.

And the PF acting President has also wondered if it was right for the President to go to another country and take part in a meeting of Opposition leaders in a foreign Country.

“The question to ask him now is what is the relationship with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Uganda. How could he feel if any of the Presidents from the mentioned countries attended a meeting with the opposition leaders in Zambia – is that being matured?” he said.

Hon Lubinda said a President who has been inconsistent with the management of principles was not better placed to talk about the national values and principles in Parliament.