President of the Young African Leaders Initiative Andrew Ntewewe has defended the organisation’s leaked document which he calls the Constitution Masterplan in which the organisation is proposing that the 2016 general elections be held under the current constitution.
Addressing a news conference Wednesday morning, Mr Ntewewe defended the proposal saying it is the best one for Zambia’s democracy.
“It is a proposal and stakeholders are free to debate it and refine it. We believe it will help us save cost and ultimately arrive at a new constitution for the Republic of Zambia,” Mr Ntewewe said.
He also denied that YALI has been compromised by state agencies.
“It is incorrect to state that this proposal shows that we have been bought or compromised. We made the proposal in the spirit of give and take and promotion of democracy. We have not been compromised,” he said.
Mr Ntewewe explained that YALI is not going against the position of the Grand Coalition of the Constitution which has been fighting for a new constitution.
“We are not deferring with our coalition partners. We are simply offering alternative view point,” he said.
Asked why YALI submitted the document to the Ministry of Justice behind the back of its partners in the Grand Coalition, Mr Ntewewe explained that YALI was going to discuss the master plan after receiving feedback from the Ministry.
“We were going to share this document with everyone. It was never going to be a secret. We don’t understand why the Ministry is even treating it as a secret document. These are just our thoughts as an organisation,” he said.
Under the proposal dated May 13, 2014, submitted to the government, YALI is proposing that the 2016 general elections be held under the current Constitution as amended in 1996.
It said it is of the view that the public allows reasonable time for Cabinet to endorse the work of the technical committee appointed to draft the constitution and provide authority for the release of the draft constitution to the public.
YALI proposed that a national referendum be held alongside the 2016 general elections and that the new constitution should be adopted during the first sitting of parliament after the elections.
“The cost of running a referendum is equivalent to the cost of running a general election. YALI is aware that the approximate cost of the 2011 general elections stood at K322 million and so if the referendum is held separately any time before 2016, taxpayers will have to spend more than K800 million to which government urges that it would have to divert funds from priority areas such as health, education, agriculture and infrastructure development.”
In view of the above, YALI proposed the holding of the referendum alongside the 2016 general elections,” the document stated.
“The new constitution should be operationalised in 2017. By implications, the 2016 general elections will be held under the 1996 Constitution of Zambia,” YALI, which is party to the Grand Coalition agitating for the release of the draft constitution to the public, stated.
YALI proposed that beginning January 2016, until the time when the referendum is held, the Electoral Commission of Zambia should conduct voter registration exercise and update the voters roll by ensuring eligible voters were captured and ready to participate in the referendum.
full of nonsense
This is the most disappointing news I have heard in months. i had so much hope in YALI. Andrew always seems so focused and genuine. He is very eloquent as well. Bob Marley said, don’t gain the world and lose your soul…… did YALI get some pieces of silver?
What is the age limit to graduate from Young to Mature? or is it the way people think and behave?
I find it had to comment on such “immature” article. Such characters of Mutewewe are for the Chipimos and George Chellah.
Us discuss issues with the Gen. Miyandas, Msoni and Tilyenji Kaundas.
only failures can produce such nosense
No age limit. In fact to you can choose to remain young forever.
Young Empty Stomachs Initiative for Survival- YALI- continue with your sebana wikute campaign boys and with this trash-your organisation will be registered with NGO ACT sooner than later.
If only everyone was thinking like these guys, it could have been a better Zambia.Yali it is.
These little 1diots (YALI) are just a bunch of use.less unemployed bus.tards who have nothing to do. You get drunk with shake-shake you go and make a use.less press conference. Get a job and get life MFs!
Kids, with no vision, Instead of being the youth to push for implementation of the New Constitution, they are backtracking to Impress PF and Wynter. Useless. This is why will never move forward, even the youth have been infected with corruption and dullness.
Can Lusaka Times print the entire Master Plan so we can discuss it to the fullest and objectively?
These little 1diots (YALI) are just a bunch of use.less unemployed bus.tards who have nothing to do. You get drunk with shake-shake you go and make a use.less press conference. Get a job and get life MFs!
Seems as though he needs another Job. He has lamentably failed as YALI Leader.
I FEEL LIKE CRYING WHEN I HEAR YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE YALI STARTS EATING AND THROWING PRINCIPLES JUST LIKE THAT SURELY I DON’T REGRET LEAVING ZAMBIA NOW THAT YALI HAS GOT A SHARE AND THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN EVERYTHING ELSE IT IS ONLY ABOUT THEM IT IS STUPID TO TELL US THEIR STORY NOW WHEN THEY WENT BEHIND BACK DOORS SHAME ON YOU,WE CAN’T TRUST YOU ANYMORE.
Frankly, this is nonsensical. Why are they talking of Cabinet authorizing its release when the original roadmap was for a simultaneous release to government and the public. The draft should be released to the public immediately without any pre-conditions. These chaps have been bought.
This is what I call constructive engagement with Government. At least YALI was able to propose a road map rather than merely talk like those people in the so called Grand Coalition. Kabimba should just state the way forward now
Think with your head not with your stomach.May you be genuine to your self and to the community and to the nation.
Young Leaders my foot!! Y’all drunk the PF Koolaid already. Do all of us a favor and do not comment on the constitution, as directed by your President…..yes I said it…..YOUR PRESIDENT!
As a first step, i agree that YALI has done a great job rather than just join in these useless talks on the constitution. Someone needed to provide a roadmap and YALI has done so. Let’s focus on perfecting it rather than just yapping. We must find common grounds on the way forward and government is a stakeholder in this process. Let the roadmap provide for dialogue
Right on YALI Zambia can develop with the current constitution all it takes is political wil
But wen remember the pf wen it was opposition they cried for a new one,but now they are in power they have forgotten bout it, believe it or not we the opposition right now forms government. They are going to do the same….wen you look at the opposition all they are crying for in the new constitution is 50+1 and running mate…give them the opposition the same constitution and take them to plot 1 to rule they start talking the same.politicians are hypocrits
Young Leaders my foot!! Y’all drunk the PF Koolaid already. Do all of us a favor and do not comment on the constitution, as directed by your President…..yes I said it…..YOUR PRESIDENT!
Copy and paste? C’mon man!
I think I would objectively look at what YALI is trying to propose. What they have done is a good initiative and distinguishes them from mere talking Tom. Parliament must take up an initiative and build on this move
Finally people speaking sense.Thumbs up YALI.You guys are so right.
chikkkkala tsha wiso.
@Illuminati
Nice one bro.You are the man.I used to get angry at people like you, but these days i just feel sorry for characters like you.A real man debates issues and not resort to insults.Insults don`t make you a bigger man ,they instead show how limited someone is in terms of rational thinking and analysis.This comment says a lot about you as a person
Brilliant initiative guys. This is where the media must show it’s relevance by pressing government to state it’s position. Where is ZWD to share with us full version of the proposal. The Post has beaten u because u been fighting with iron lady Musamba
Those condemning YALI are somehow not be realistic. Which organisation or so called coalition in this country has provided a draft roadmap on this process? It’s time to offer alternatives folks than keep shouting in the air. It’s stupid to always call people who offer an alternative as compromised. Isn’t the Grand Coalition compromised when it sits with opposition political parties to champion one cause? Respect to YALI!
No surprise. Some of us have always known that Andrew was a mole and government’s blue eyed boy in the grand coalition. Listen to this guy speak and you realise he’s just a charlatan.
Brilliant proposal by YALI. This shows that Zambia’s future is assured. There will be no shortage of quality leaders. Ntewewe and his coleagues in YALI have demonstrated that when the old folks become bereft of progressive ideas the young can pump the needed sense in them, (amano yafuma mwifwesa yaya muchulu). This has come to pass in Zambia where some people have just been yapping about the constitution before 2016 without delving into the implications. Ntewewe akateka bushiku bumo. HH will never rule.
Be careful with CIA sponsored characters like these.
Why have you even formed a party, you are just the youth wing of P F ; WE WANT THE CONSTITUTION NOW. NOT IN 2016 TO SUIT YOUS
Won’t judge YALI too fast but will await to see the master plan, evaluate government response and then will get back to judge them. Sometimes, someone has to provide direction and I think that YALI has taken up that role. We have heard nothing from the grand coalition which is using old ways to solve new problems. We can put this matter of the Constitution if we want to and we mustn’t come up a constitution for the sake of 2016 and change. If we can have a Constitution that has all progressive clauses in 2017, then we would have made a difference.
YALI NISALA JUST TALKING OF WASTING MONEY BEFORE ELECTION, WHERE LL DE MONEY COME AFTER ELECTION ACORNDING TO YO FAKE CALCULATION SINCE YO POOL FULL(PF) OF MASTER CREDIT(KALOBA) UNDER THIS PROJECT FAILURE(PF).WHY HAVE U GONE TO 2017 WHICH IS THE IMMEDIATE YEAR AFTER ELECTION INSTEAD OF 2014 WHICH IS FAR FROM 2011 DE ELECTION YEAR.SO U DEMOSTRATED WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT U WERE FIGHTING FOR.DULL CHAP LEAVE YALI TO YOUTHS NOT YOU WHO IS 42YEAR ,YOUTH ENDS AT 35YEARS NO YOUTH AT 42YEARS KAYA.
AN OUTSTANDING PROBOSOL IN WHICH SHOWS COMBINATION OF AFRICCAN YOUNG TALENTED LEADERS. However I wondered why didn’t you discuss us as a Somaliland youth. we would like to share with our ideas too.
Together we can make Africa enriched continent with well-versed future larders
Not a bad proposal. publish in full so we can debate it.
I think we need a new constitution or at the very least, a revision. However, I am concerned at the apparent animosity towards different approaches to achieving this! Why should we insult and pull down any alternative ideas simply because they are different to ours? Developed economies did not develop by being one track minded but by discussing and analyzing alternative ideas.
Lets be open minded and ask YALI to give us the full proposal and justify WHY they are making the suggestions they are making
Why do we need a so-called road map when the terms of reference were clear? This is not a road map but mere endorsement of the governments U-turn on the Constitution. A new Constitution was meant to be in place long before 2016. The govt. has refused to abide by the original plan because it does not like some of the clauses. The clauses are the people’s not govt. We decide what kind of Constitution we want. YALI is supporting the abrogation of a legitimate endeavour by proposing nothing, in truth.
Shit YALI go to HELL with your proposals Lost chaps SAD and failures
Great initiative and realistically speaking government should look at this document,especially on the cost aspect because it has been the major debate in the country…the way to go YALI…