The Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani says Kondwani Nankhumwa is still the Leader of Opposition in Parliament despite the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) appointing Mary Navicha as Leader of Opposition.
The DPP which is the opposition party with the highest number of Members of Parliament is required to appoint a leader of opposition. The party last week named George Chaponda to replace Nankhumwa but after Chaponda was not recognised by Parliament, the party proceeded to appoint Navicha
Hara noted in Parliament this morning that while the appointment of George Chaponda and Mary Navicha by the Democratic Progressive Party was procedural according to Standing Order section 35, the office of the Attorney General advised her office not to proceed with the decision to recognise Mary Navicha or George Chaponda as the leader of opposition due to a court injunction.
The injunction obtained by Nankhumwa stops the DPP from firing him from the position.
In Parliament this morning, Nankhumwa who was expelled from the DPP last month sat in the independent MPs’ benches as the DPP did not allocate a seat for him.
Instead, Navicha was the one who occupied the leader of opposition seat.
Highlighting the depth of the animosity between DPP and Nankhumwa, the Leader of Opposition showed up at Parliament with several bodyguards.
