Defiant Binwell vows to fight on for Zambians

Defiant Binwell vows to fight on for Zambians

By Thandizo Banda

SUSPENDED Nkana independent Member of Parliament (MP) Binwell Mpundu says he is unbothered by his suspension from the National Assembly by First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Attractor Chisangano.

Last week, Chisangano handed the Nkana lawmaker a seven-day suspension from the National Assembly for alleged disorderly conduct citing Standing Order 222(2) and Section 28(3) of the National Assembly Powers and Privileges Act.

Mpundu stirred up the House when he asked Minister of Finance Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane whether he was earning a commission from Zambia’s borrowing figures under the supplementary budget.

But speaking when he featured on Kabwe’s Cloud FM radio station Monday, Mpundu vowed to continue speaking for Zambians and his constituents regardless of any bullying or intimidation in the National Assembly.

And responding to a radio caller who asked whether he would accept a ministerial appointment under President Hakainde Hichilema’s government, the vibrant youthful parliamentarian vehemently objected saying doing so would be a grave betrayal to the suffering Zambian masses because the United Party for National Development (UPND) had no heart for the people.

“Ine njiminina abantu [I represent the Zambian people). So joining UPND is joining a group of people who do not care about ordinary Zambians….people whose interest is to enrich themselves… People whose interest is to support foreigners at the expense of Zambians. But I entered politics to serve the people and not to enrich myself,” Mpundu said.

He castigated parliamentary presiding officers for being partisan in the way they managed proceedings in the House.

Mpundu also condemned government for what he described as reckless borrowing and mishandling of the country’s mineral wealth such as the recent gold discoveries.

“UPND MPs are highly favoured and go unpunished when they err while us from the opposition are ejected from the House for any slight mistake. That is how biased National Assembly is today,” he said.
Mpundu dismissed the narrative suggesting that some youthful opposition MPs were the cause of confusion in the current National Assembly.

He said constant bullying and intimidation by the Speaker and her deputies had forced opposition MPs to develop defensive mechanisms, making them involuntarily react to provocation.
“As humans we are prone to overreact sometimes,” Mpundu said.

He said UPND had failed to deliver its pre-election campaign promises which had disappointed Zambians who were resolved to vote it out in the August 2026 general elections.

Mpundu has become a constant thorn in the flesh of Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti and ruling party MPs during Parliamentary business because of his fearless style of debating.