The ruling MMD and some opposition political parties have differed on how to treat the invitation from the Oasis Forum to attend a stakeholders meeting to discuss the constitution making roadmap.The Oasis Forum would this Saturday hold a meeting in Lusaka aimed at reaching consensus on the constitution making roadmap.
The MMD, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) and the United Party for National Development yesterday gave different opinions on the Oasis Forum meeting.
MMD chairman for information and publicity, Benny Tetamashimba said: “As at now, as chairman for information and publicity, I have not heard of an invitation from the Oasis Forum from either the national secretary of the party or the President.â€
Mr Tetamashimba wondered what purpose the meeting would serve when Government had already accepted to have the constitution adopted through a constituent assembly, which the Oasis Forum was advocating.
He said it was unfortunate that the Oasis Forum, which earlier allegedly fought former President Frederick Chiluba’s attempt to change the constitution for his third term bid, was now trying to forgo some provisions of the constitution.
“If there is a short-cut, let them tell us how to go around Article 79.
They should tell us that if we change that article then there will be no poverty and we can change it tomorrow,†Mr Tetamashimba said.
He said the national budget had just been approved and that Government would proceed according to the people’s wishes, which was in line with the Republican Constitution and the Constitution Review Commission recommendations.
Mr Tetamashimba said if the MMD received the invitation for the meeting, it would attend and defend its position in line with the law.
UPND spokesperson, Charles Kakoma said the UPND would attend the meeting since it had been calling for a stakeholders meeting to discuss the constitution-making process.
“We were pushing the Oasis Forum to organise the meeting because they are neutral and would rally behind everyone.
We did not want to push that ourselves because it would look political, it is good if they have taken that initiative,†Mr Kakoma said.
FDD national secretary, Newton Ng’uni said he was only aware that political parties were planning to meet soon under the Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) to discuss among other issues, the constitution-making process.
He said there was a held view that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should invite political parties to such meetings when it was supposed to be vice versa because political parties were major stakeholders on a day-to-day basis on governance.
Mr Ng’uni who is a ZCID board member said it was time that political parties made their stance known over the constitution-making process before meeting NGOs.
“Later on, I foresee a situation where political parties will meet NGOs to see what differences need to be ironed out,†Mr Ng’uni said.
He said ZCID planned to meet President Mwanawasa in his capacity as both MMD and republican President over the constitution-making process.
Mr Ng’uni said a date for the meeting would be known this week.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Oasis Forum chairperson, William Mweemba, said the stakeholders’ meeting on the constitution-making process was planned for April 14, 2007.
“We are holding a stakeholders meeting to discuss the constitution-making process so that consensus can be reached,†he said.
Mr Mweemba who is also Law of Association of Zambia chairperson said the Oasis Forum had invited over 80 participants drawn from political parties, including the ruling MMD, civil society organisations and professional bodies.
He said it was important that differences in timings between Government’s roadmap and that of the Oasis Forum were addressed.
Mr Mweemba said Oasis Forum’s alternative roadmap on the constitution-making process met all legal requirements as constitutional lawyers prepared it.
He said there were some steps in the roadmap that Government considered which the forum found unnecessary.
He said it was important for the two parties to sit and discuss the two roadmaps so that consensus could be reached on the matter.
Do not waste time and resources to have such a meeting
MMD won,t listen to anything so don,t waste 20,000,000 for lunch and beers.just buy drugs for hospital use.before people join the MMD you would think they are truly for the zambian people.
While does MMD have an attitude? They have been dodgee over the road map to finalising the constitution,dialogue and humility are key elements to democratisation? These are other political parties are just another impediment, Oasis forum proceed as per your plans let no one derail you, you represent the direct views of the people not these political parties who are always bikering and insulting one another. Aluta continua Oasis Forum
These meetings are good but they lack political will by many opposition parties and the ruling govt. There are always so many conditions that political parties always argue against each other such as:Who to preside over them meeting, implementation of the resolutions. Ask Siteke Mwale who held such a similar meeeting a few yrs ago on what progress resulted from the Inter-party indaba at Mulungushi.
Talking and acting is the sign of progressiveness. Lets hope these meetings will not just be talking shops.
Tetamachimba your days are numbered to shut up and it will be forever. We really tired of these meeting that bear no fruits.The opposition and MMD behave like oil and water in fear of not being accused of being bought. Oasis Forum contiue pumping your senses into senseless Tetamachimba. That chap is now campaigning silently to be Levy successor. That is a good move do not stop, go ahead.
When Kaunda was pressured, he gave up and gave the people what they wanted, I praise him for that. But our govt with Tentamashimba who does’t know how to keep quite,are taking the people of Zambia for granted.Oasis Forum go ahead and do what is good for our motherland.
Oasis forum has been the most peaceful conveyorbelt for the most progressive ideas and aspirations of the silent majority Zambian. The current constitution is such a tired document which should not even have delivered us into this millenium (Y2K). Politicians in Government know too well that they hide behind this feeble constitution in order to advance their greed. Timely enactment of the new constitution by the people themselves; a constitution that will see a clear separation of powers (Executive [with slim Presidential powers], Judiciary & Legislature) among other necessary pillar for meaningful social, political and economic development is a must. Failure of this path (nasal), the armpit should open up to allow we the people the opportunity to continue breathing normally. Under the current constitution, manipulation is the order of the day.