The first sitting of the 12th National Assembly has started today in Lusaka, with Dr. Patrick Matibini being re-elected speaker after going through unopposed.
MMD’s Catherine Namugala and PF’s Mfuwe Member of Parliament, Mwimba Malama, have been elected first deputy and second speakers respectively and they also went unopposed.
Dr. Matibin was first elected as Speaker in 2011.
The trio were later sworn in by President Edgar Lungu.
In this parliament, PF has 80 while the UPND has 58 Members of Parliament.
The former ruling MMD party has three while the opposition Forum for Democracy and Development FDD has one.
The National Assembly also has 14 independent Members of Parliament, the highest in the history of the country.
According to the new constitution, the speaker must not be an MP, while the first deputy speaker must also not be an MP, but eligible to be one, while the second deputy speaker should be a member of parliament.
However, the two deputy speakers should be from different political parties and not of the same gender.
President Edgar Lungu is scheduled to officially open the parliament next Friday.