THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) yesterday unanimously adopted an article that requires a presidential candidate to have the minimum academic qualification of a degree.
Article 123 (1) (e) of the Willa Mung’omba draft constitution states that a person would only be qualified to be a presidential candidate if they had obtained the minimum academic qualification of a grade 12 certificate.
However, the NCC executive committee changed the qualification to that of first degree, which the plenary adopted.
Contributing to debate, delegate William Chipango said that at independence, Zambia had a few graduates but now they were many and should be given chance to rule the country.
Mr Chipango said the country had to move forward by allowing young graduates to occupy the office of the president.
Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) president Stanley Mhango said he supported the clause but that the same should apply to ministers while Mary Mulundika said that a president should be knowledgeable enough to represent the nation.
Gender Deputy Minister Lucy Changwe said the clause should be supported because education built on wisdom and dropping the clause would be doing the country a disservice.
Commerce Deputy Minister Lwipa Puma said the issue was straightforward because there were 12 universities in the country and it was easy for people to enrol while a freedom fighter Cosmas Chibanda said that if a speaker should be a degree holder it be the same with the president.
But Reverend Mwila Mutambala said the clause was discriminatory and it should be left to the people to decide who they wanted to vote for.
Rev Mutambala said there were countries that had developed with presidents who had no degrees while Joseph Chibula said there was nothing wrong with the current situation.
Mr Chibula said the clause was discriminatory because education was different from leadership while Peasant and Small-Scale Farmers Association president Rodger Phiri said that the country had been ruled by people without degrees.
Mr Phiri said a degree was just a paper obtained in class and leadership was wisdom that was not learnt in class because there were people who had made it in life without being educated because of lack of money.
The other articles adopted from the Willa Mung’omba Draft Constitution were that a presidential candidate should be a citizen by birth, did not have dual citizenship and had been resident in Zambia for a continuous 10 years preceding the election.
The presidential candidate would also be required to be not less than 35 years, conversant with the official language, of sound mind and should not be serving a sentence of imprisonment.
[Times of Zambia]
45 years after independence, Zambians through their representatives have spoken that henceforth, no reward for illiteracy.
and the president should be medically fit. look what electing levy landed us RB!
Here we go again….Let us crash Sata becoz he has no degree. Dirty and stu-pid decisions carried by selfish pipo i.e Banda and his cowards. SHAME ON ALL OF THEM….Sata is a threat to MMD that is why they will do anything even if it means killing him to win the coming elections
Never again shall illiteracy be lucrative in our country. Leadership must not only be transactional but inspirational. Henceforth, our kids will never envy illiteracy but get tenacious. In 45 years of independence, UNIP gave a chance to all ambitious citizens to make progress on their education. The position of republican President cannot be a preserve of illiteracy. Thank you NCC for taking to heart all our petitions for the common good. Illiterate people are insecure leaders we do not want to risk our country with.
Lets be very careful bane, wisdom does not only lie in western education. In Zambia we have adopted a western education approach on the expense of local/traditional knowledge. The people that have aquired knowledge out side the western classroom should not be discriminated against because the learning environment extends far beyond a classroom. This clause should not have any value at all because even the system of having a first degree is not a balanced one, it favours certain individuals……abash that clause
Yaba This is Bull #$%.like before this is aimed at certain individuals and will not sustain.Already people like Prof Chirwa have fallen off.
Bloggers please advise if this will affect Namasoya having been born in Southern Rhodisia.
Okay that is fine ba ngwele. I will be giving a honorary degree to my presidential candidate, after all we have two former presidents with PHDs.
……Here we go again….Let us crash Sata becoz he has no degree. Dirty and stu-pid decisions carried by selfish pipo i.e Banda and his cowards. SHAME ON ALL OF THEM….Sata is a threat to MMD that is why they will do anything even if it means killing him to win the coming elections
“William Chipango said that at independence, Zambia had a few graduates but now they were many and should be given chance to rule the country.”
Should be given a chance?? Gimme a break!
=))
This is a load of Rubbish! Next thing you know, all MPs will be required to have degrees, and then our country will be run like UNZA!!
Here we go again with discriminatory clauses. any way its up to the presidential candidates to pull up their socks and all we demand is honesty, hard work, sacrifice, morality, and progressiveness among the many goals we must set as a nation for any one seeking this high office.
Sata must enroll for a quick degree as chiluba did.
PF kaponyas, have you heard that? #6 Jinx Popo – We are talking about a minimum of an earned bachelor’s degree and not honorary ones. So tell Sata to start attending night school now. This spells the end of the pact because the obvious choice is HH. Please tell Sata, since he likes twisting things, that we are not saying one should be married to a degree holder but that every aspiring presidential candid should have at least a first degree. Ba Sata go for “shibukeni” classes while you can.
the best we can do is MP’s too must be degree holders since the president must first qualify as a member of NA. the only fear is MATERO UNIVERSITY degrees
Well well well, thats the way to go mother Zambia. We belong to the global village. If Zambia was an island which had nothing to do with other nations around, then a President with indigenous knowledge would suffice but since we are part of a unified whole first degree is the way to go. What qualifications has the cobra?
**== = :((
By birth, could this mean born in Zambia and not Zimbabwe? HH or Katele will be the next President. Sata is out on education grounds and RB is out since he was born in Zim. Thank you NCC. Next will be ministers. Lowest degree must be Masters. Foreign Service must be those with Bachelors in Diplomacy or International Law. No cadres who spend time supporting their employers even when things have gone South. Press attaches must come from UNZA, we have a large crop of qualified and able graduates form UNZA. Not ba Shushushu from Hone.
What is illiteracy by the definition of CITIZEN? Lack of a university certificate called a degree? unable to count or read? who has the GOLD standard for us to measure illiteracy? Being educated and being schooled are two different things. CITIZEN is schooled but not educated. Leadership does not always go with academic qualifications. If you went to India or Nigeria, there are so many graduates than Zambia yet leadership is not tied to academic qualifications. should i say that i am personally not against a presidential candidate uwa joba but doing this just for the fear of Sata just like we did to the citizenship clause and presidential term for fear of Kaunda, we must be careful or else should some one in the boots of Sata come to power, we will revert to the old story of constitutional
I like this clause because it disqualifies RB who was born in Zimbabwe and also our man Sata without a degree. The good thing is Sata can go to Matero and obtain his degree in a split of a second. Can RB fake his birth palce???? Things are getting interesting here……….
Ba Che Guavera mulikwi? Just got a call from the embassy ati ba Finance Minister fimo fimo nabawila and they are inviting local Zedians who can make it this evening to the ambassadors’s residence to go and help him ukusheta akabwali. So if you are within the Tokyo area…kutitwaishibana ka.l-)
Minimum age is 35, what about maximum? Every job people have retirement age. Why not introduce maximum for one to be President? At least that will keep fresh blood in office rather than these old people who did their degrees in 1964. Even the books they used cannot be cited in a dissertation or a thesis. All have been discarded and cannot even be found in museums. So, when are we talking about one obtaining their degrees?
😮 Some of these NCC delegates! Saying leadership is wisdom and therefore you do not need a degree to become president because some people have been successful in life without degrees. What kind of reasoning is this? It’s like saying the MD for Zesco does not need to have an engineering degree but he only needs to have wisdom. Low caliber reasoning. We are talking about QUALIFICATIONS here, you PF sympathisers!
:((
Can someone tell us what happens to Banda? We all know what happens to Sata now. What is in this proposal for Banda? I read that this meant the end of the Road to Mfuwe. Will Banda contest MMD elections? It seems Mpombo’s wish has finally come true. Yangu tata confusion yalaba pa ZED. So, MMD has no candidate, PF has no candidate, The Pact has a candidate, HH.
This is not the right way of doing or running a country. Who told you that when one has a degree he can perform better as a President. Degree or no degree someone can still manage a country. Look at alot of persons who are rich or managing their own businesses throughout the world they have no degrees or should I say they were just given the degrees due to their good work. What the President needs are knowledgeable and non corrupt advisers and technical staff who can do the work. Look at what the people with degrees have done to the country…..most of those in our govt. have become thieves due to a lot of illegal deals or contracts.
how ironic in that the people and president who laid down the infrastructure that we are still using today just had visions…:(
An implosion begins with 805 ditching opposition..
OVER 800 Patriotic Front (PF), United Party for National Development (UPND) and United National Independence Party (UNIP) members have defected to the MMD, citing the opposition’s lack of a development agenda for the country as one of the major reasons for the defection.Receiving the 805 defectors at Kabwata community hall in Lusaka yesterday, Lusaka province MMD chairperson William Banda said the MMD provincial leadership is recapturing Lusaka, adding that the party will “dismantle the PF-UPND pact in the province”.Mr Banda said: “We are going to crack the PF-UPND pact in Lusaka and we shall make sure these people have no way of telling lies,”.
Its all aimed at an individual. Any way this document wont be ready for 2011 so ba Shikulu will stand unless you bring in new
Can someone tell me if Zuma and Kabila have University degrees and how many degrees does Mugabe have?. How many zambian grade 12 and cadres are serving in foreign service? This issue is rub.i.sh and descriminatory. My friend Puma how credible are these 12 universities you are referring to?
Among the defectors were former UPND national chairlady Stella Chisongo, former UNIP provincial publicity secretary Carol Musonda, PF Mandevu constituency vice-chairman Frank Lombe and his treasurer Alex Mulenga.Mr Banda said the PF has failed to develop Lusaka and that this is the reason the MMD wants to win back all constituencies in the province.Representing 200 defectors from Mtendere and Kalingalinga townships, Ms Chisongo said the MMD is the only party with a development agenda for the country, adding that the pact has no future.
MMD seem to be a foreign born leadership party. FTJ – Congo, William Banda – Malawi, Rupiah Banda (Former MMD Candidate for President before NCC vote), Zimbabwe.
What about me who went to Evelyn Hone and have tried for years to get to UNZA without success because i cant afford it and dont know anyone who knows someone who can squeeze me in. Does that mean I am left in the cold will never be president of Zambia not due to my dullness but other circumstances. They might aswell turn all the colleges into universities because it looks like graduates are more Zambian than some of us.
“We had to leave our parties to join the MMD because it is the only party that is serious about developing this country. The PF and UPND have no future,” she said.Ms Chisongo accused the leadership of the pact of being lost.She said PF and UPND members were not consulted over the formation of the pact and that they felt betrayed by the leadership of the two parties.She said the alleged dictatorship in the PF disqualifies its leader from going to State House.Ms Chisongo said some political leaders eyeing State House are not meant to be presidents, adding that if they were, they could have been entrusted the position by the people they worked with.
We hav the qualifications to be president, it wont make us gud leaders, i hav passd thru two companies with directors hav the best qualificaions and messing up everything. For zeb i think its just targetng a few guys. May b thats y som PF mp’s decided not to attend ncc crap, coz chaps who ar there most ar MMD carders who will pass a folish bill to suite some foolish selfish nigga
And Mr Mulenga said PF president Michael Sata will never rule the country, alleging that he is a dictator.He accused Mr Sata of insulting and implicating other political leaders in issues he has no adequate evidence of.“Mr Sata is a danger not only to himself but also to those around him. He is forever insulting and implicating others in issues even when he has no evidence,” he said.The defectors called on their colleagues still in the pact to join the MMD.The defectors called on their colleagues still in the pact to join the MMD.
They just want to block one person that is PF president. Discriminatory clauses are very dangerous and bad. It is on your friend today tomorrow it will be on them. It is so sickening and saddening for the people at NCC. shame on MMD.
Sata and RB cannot run. :-w
What a funny bunch of losers!
The world is full of fööls with degrees and diplomas.
Great leaders and thinkers are not made,
Great leaders and thinkers are BORN!
Mr. Sata must be regretting now. Had he had his MP’s take part in the constitution making process, he would have had them persuade the other delegates to go against the article. Well now it is too late. He boycotted and these are the results he is going to have to deal with.
We have been led by people with humble education and we who are previleged to have Bachelors and above have not complained. Why this outcry now. Times have changed and we need to feel the breeze. there is absolutely nothing wrong with that clause, infact it is long overdue. A degree is just one of the qualifications we should be looking for in a candidate. Others may include wisdom, morality, right age etc. We need a well rounded person for president. Why narrow this discussion to Sata, he is only a tiny mass in the dispensation.
Sata has been doing online degree program for the last 3 years with Warwick University (where Chiluba got his first degree). So the honorary deggree is mbasela. Tulemidabwisha bangwele…!!!
SKT ,
If Sata had wisdom and ambition, he shouldn’t have done it on Kaunda in the 1995 Mwanakatwe constitution.You remember him moving the motion in parliament that aimed at fixing KK? Do remember the word of KK saying uletila ndi fonko fonko, ala ewe ukafonkoka pamala. Abakulu tabapusa akebo.Sata’s own hatred has come to fix him.
We still have pipo with degrees and are *****s like mulongoti
Great ! With my degree in tailoring and design, with a major in music , am gonna be President ! How about that !
A COMBINED team of Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Zambia Police and Intelligence officers has recorded a warn and caution statement from Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde in connection with unaccounted for K1 billion overpaid to a South African traffic equipment and car dealer.
MMD is in a fix of corruption. Even the top cops are now thieves. By the way Banda will not rule Zambia again. He was born where? Chitunghwiza, near Mugabe’s birth bed in Zim. Bye ba Banda.
Did Gen Shikapwasha debate on this issue? I would have loved to hear his personal views since he harbours Presidential ambitions
What a funny bunch of losers!
The world is full of fööls with degrees and diplomas.
Great leaders and thinkers are not made,
Great leaders and thinkers are BORN!
Are we going to have a new constitution every 4 years just to fix some aspiring presidential candidates?
This clause is very ambiguous! First degree, in what field? The field of qualification does not need to be related to politics and economy? So even a degree in Fashion and Design, or Linguistics, or Music qualifies somebody to stand? Zuma has no degree, but he surrounds himself with expert ministers and officials and that is why he is able tick as president. Even if we had a Dr. for president, he would not perform as long as he is surrounded by cadres as ministers and govt officials. So in Zambia, we are back to political manipulation of Constitution which we saw Chiluba do to bar some specific persons from contesting. I would not have a problem if the clause specified the field of degree, not just to say first degree, even a degree mukwikata utuni or ukwimba ba Koswe!!! Nonsense!!!!!!
@43 NAPAPA SANA
Wandepaula ati “degree mukwikata utuni or ukwimba”
NAPAPA SANA!!!!!!
Exactly my point !
You will be very surprised to not that Rupiah Banda`s qualifications does not amount to a first degree, its something closer to a diploma from Hone or Nkrumah. People are supporting blindly without digging dipper…….. there is reliable data from the University of Lund and the University of Addis ababa that what Rupiah got does not amount to a degree but a certificate/ diploma (mellomfag). So we need to be careful because Rupiah knows that no one will dare to scrutinise his credentials for fear of the obvious. Wake up people…. dont adopt a close just to side line one individual.
What about the VP? What happens if the P ‘goes’ the LPM way and the VP does not have first degree? Having a first degree does not confer wisdom – Ask George W. Bush. KK had a teaching certificate but is, in my view, the best President Zambia has had. Ever heard of the Term ‘Educated Fools’?
People, RBB does not have a degree in Economics as we are made to believe. His is in History of Economics. Study the history of Financial Accounting does not make me an Accountant! Did you listen to those video clips on the Post Newspaper and believe that the person in the clip is a degree holder?
# 47, ma vote again if the VP is Ronnie Shikapwasha (No Degree) or Rupiah Banda (Born in Zim). Mpombo is back in school. Ali pee
This is total rubbish of the year. What , a degree or wisdom? Even if it is a degree , in which area? Dancing, singing, running, story telling, massaging, coocking, eaching, fishing, hunting, etc? Oh our country has gone to the dogs. Have all Zambians equall access to education? Is their free education for all Zambians? What a dull close to be put in the constitution while leaving an important close of 50+ 1. ZAMBIA IS HEADED FOR CHAOS REALLY.
Can some one please let shed some light. Does this mean that Rupiya Banda is not eligeble for the 2011 elections since he was born in Zimbabawe as well documented ?
The irony of this is that we had a degree holder and he did a so so job, but failed to control his love for food. We have a fake degree/diploma (whatever this man obtained in 1962), he does crap. Probably degree holders will function bane.
While I like the idea of an adequately educatec President, I just have a very bad feeling about this clause because it is reminiscent of the 1996 constitution that was used to bar someONE from candidature. Once again we are not learning from history. On the other hand, this may be a violation of human rights. Doesn’t a people have the right of association and to be led by whomsoever they want? The NCC itself is now proving to be driven by senselessness and emotionally labile persons. I do not want Sata to be President, but I will defend his right to contest Presidential elections and I trust that the Zambian electoral college can make the right decision. The NCC should concetrate on curbing the abuse of power by any person elected President and make it easier to kick him out!
Well done NCC on the clasues adopted as indicated above for this is time to make real progress on National affairs.
I hope those that have no Grade 12 full School Certificate (qualification for MP by NCC adoption) or its equivalent will begin to make plans to obtain such educational papers. This is because the Presidency elections still requires a Candidate to qualify for MP election.
Those who wish to buy degrees or get them from non-recognised Universities have to keep this one in mind as they try to rule Zambia.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given unto you.
#51 Mbuzi, the answer is a big YES. Ba MMD here are avoiding that question. The man has been jinxed by Mpombo. This is the end of the Road to Mfuwe were animals live. (Game Park). Let us hope those chiefs wont summon the NCC.
eeish Zambians are a bunch of funny characters!
leadership is not about degree or how far you have gone with your education as even fools got phd and degrees do that make somebody being a leader? That clause is discrementory as wisdom is not aquired thruogh education, a grade 12 certificate is okey and the problem is some clause are made to stop some people which is not good at all. King solomon was a good leader/king but he did not have a degree but he was the wise and that made him the best king.
Lets ask ourselves, Degree in what? what does a degree in Bee keeping or horse riding have to do with presidency.Let the best man rule this country actually some of us can offer better leadership than your oppressing and mediocre presidency that you have always exhibited .FJT wanted to stay in state house for a third term, levy’s term was short by death, probably he would have started these tactics too.I ve no doubt NCC is a worst of our tax money.How did a they honestly arrive with that clause. The clause is already pointing to one thing RB has some kind of a degree if he didnt they would not adopt it.Should the nation be deceived to benefit individuals?.I would encourage my Sata and HH to convert there experience into PhD´s. :o:o:o:o
Ba Moderator, ino nshita ndipa Kyushu island visiting
I do not see this Constitution being enacted before the 2011 elections. If it is, RB and Sata are will not be eligible. The MMD Parliament will surely rush to remove the ‘Citizen by Birth’ clause if the Constitution is to be enacted so as to block Sata from contesting in 2011- Strategic Repositioning!
i agree with you #53, this people should not put some bar from protecting others to exercise thier rights let the people descide who they want to be ruled by.
kwena ba LT what you put in stars does not amount to any vulgar language, its just Bemba so next time you put word check ups, try to include as many zambian language words as possible. i meant this time around am in KYUSHU i.n.o.s.h.i.t.a and not shit
Ba Banda UHAUL driver is coming tomorrow. Leave the keys under the door mat. The road to Mfuwe is ready bbambo.
This is rubbish, eduaction is not built on wisdom, it is not all the people who are intelligent who are wise, so wake up before we are ruled by a bunch of educated fools.We are heading for a disaster.
WHAT IS SAD IS THAT EVEN IF YOU LOWERED THE QUALIFICATION TO GRADE 12 BA SATA WOULD STILL NOT QUALIFY! AND THAT IS THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT….YABA BANE INSONI SHANJIKATA INE…
So does it mean Rupiah being born in Southern Rhodesia is now banned should this constitution pass or they are going to say he was born by zambian parents?
I expected that for once a sensible constitution would come out of the NCC at last, but I am dissapointed. First they could not decide on 50+1 and now this outrageous clause! These men and women are drunk with the allowances they are getting. Perhaps, it was not a good idea after all. There may be 12 universities in Zambia but many are half baked. No thank you. Mr Michael Sata is the target here. He should not be President for a million and one reasons, but he has the right to be heard.
#43, You are very funny, If we are to specify some these degrees our ministers and former presidents have, awe ninseko sheka….
NO MORE RULE BY FOREIGNERS. Thank you NCC. Zambians are weak, they cannot do it on their own but through NCC. Finally, Zambia can be ruled by the rightful people, Zambians. Not people from Bulawayo. UNIP had Chigaga whose brother was a Mayor in Bulawayo, Now we have Banda, who goes to pay debt and homage to his birthplace in Zim, what kind of people are we? In fact when you look at these foreigners they rule with impunity and corruption. FTJ did the same, now it is Banda, next will be Kenneth Maduma.
Zuma is ticking best in one area, polygamy (womanizing).
The pact will still pull through..Let HH who has a degree start and then Change the constitution again to accomodate Sata in 2016.MMD MUST GO this.we shall do anything to have them out come 2011.
Finish
What a joke.they just wanted to block one person.just compare zambia to botswana.
The close itself has nothing wrong, the motive for me is what makes the end questionable, i find nothing wrong with a learned President. The Speaker Must have a degree, the Chief Justice must have a degree, the Attoney General must have a degree so why shouldn’t their boss have one. In all fairness, most jobs we apply to require some level of training, why should’nt the highest office in the land have some formal qualification requirement. Our children would have been dropping out of school and hoping to be presidents had there not been any requirement. The fact However, that this close is targetted at one Sata, makes it very questionable and unfortunate, for law making should be devoid of individuals or personalities.
We are being taken for a ride. Can someone tell me how many NCC members have degrees? Looks like NCC members are tired and can now include anything in the constitution. The fact is we will ensure we get honoraly degrees and get to plot 1. I hope the minimum educational qualification for a voter will also be adjusted to grade 12 as it looks like people are over educated.
Latest Sata is studying with the open University and will graduate with a Bachelors Degree this year. shame on those targeting him.
#66 Che Guevara and all the others who are confused about the citizenship clause should revist the Supreme Court judgment Mushota v Kaunda. Any person who was born to parents who were subjects of the Britannic Majesty in Northern Rhodesia and was domiciled therein, became a Zambian at midnight on 23 Oct 1964.
The worst that can come out of the NCC!!! I have never been a fan of Sata to target the constitution onto one individual is the baddest, I have to use that word, a nation can do.
The worst that can come out of the NCC!!! I have never been a fan of Sata, but to target the constitution onto one individual is the baddest, I have to use that word, a nation can do.
Good Morning
As the comments above have already shown, it is highly arguable that anyone with a degree is automatically qualified with the knowledge and wisdom to rule a nation. An undereducated leader with a vision for his people and a good leadership credo is better than a highly educated despot with selfish interests.
#73 objective
President is not appointed he is elected and this means it is THE PEOPLE who decide who rules them. Ther should not be any proscription of who it is. You cannot fly a jet fighter if you suffer from vertigo, but you can pass all the ground school work and have a degree in aeronautical engineering! What I mean is, no matter what qualifications the candidate has or does not have should not be the basis of candidacy. Let this individual sell themselves and show that they CAN do the job. I would suggest that a Presidential candidate must be a leader of a political party with a certain representation in parliament. That would be more sensible.
is this the legacy which RPM shud be remembered for? its waste of money and time. Does it mean three quarters of the population is dull? what degree are they talking about, from which institution, in what? what duration? completely useless
Questions. Does a degree from University of Mashododo qualify? Or is it just hunza degrees we are talking about? 😕
who told you that Sata doesnt have a degree
These people have started the game of excluding people again. Chiluba managed to exclude Kaunda. Now they want to exclude Sata. What a bunch of losers!
Iam waiting to hear from those who say the next election should be held under a new constitution with 50% +1 to say it again!!!! oh… by the way there will also be a requirement to posses a degree for any aspiring candidate. Bloggers can we please urge Mr musokotwane to find money for the referendum so that we can have a new constitution before 2011
Following #71 Ndine on his/er “The pact will still pull through..Let HH who has a degree start and then Change the constitution again to accomodate Sata in 2016.MMD MUST GO this.we shall do anything to have them out come 2011.“, let ba-Sata Micheal (PF unelected leader) sit for Grade 7 exams this year, then grade 9 ones next year when UPND(-PF PACT) president shall stand for Zambian President elections and then do a 3 or 4 year degree from a recognised UNIVERSITY so as to be ready for standing a presidential candidate in 2016. There is no need to change the Constitution again to suit Mr MC Sata alone as an individual. Zambia deserves to start making real progress in development.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom if God and his righteousness and all things shall…
# 49/51/66/67 – This is what is behind the scenes. RB & Sata are not eligible for President. We have been left out with one option HH. HH is the only eligible president candidate. Therefore, the constitutional will not be adopted before election. It will be a debate that will go until the elections are over. Looking at the two articles “degree for president and RB is MMD president candidate”, this automatically tells me that the constitution will not be adopted before 2011.
Gaze at this very key things happened:
1.0 50% + 1 are baring Sata and for easy to rigging the election.
2.0 Degree for President is baring Sata
3.0 Place of Birth is baring RB.
When the three items are finalised, it will be after the elections. The degree issue will grow to MPs, Ministers and PS as well…
Where do you classify professional qualifications like ACCA or CIMA? Does this exclude those who have been through Military or Intelligence colleges from vying for Plot1?
This is discriminatory. ..What about professional qualifications that are equivalent to at least a first degree.?…..You can get a higher diploma from a good reputable institution that will offer a better standard of education than a first degree from a substandard , dodgy institution …..Let’s hope there is provision for these simple , but very important facts in this clause.
Even the minimum age could be argued to be discriminatory. ……What’s the minimum age for an M P ?… and for voting ?
I’m sure a few years down the road people will realise the folly of this. And let’s hope this realisation will come about after a brutal spell of tyranny , because that’s the only way people seem to see the truth..!
#53 The Saint.. I totally agree. Interesting point u’ve raised on…
#1 Veteran : KK got Independece for you and gave you a very sound education,while himself had not gone beyond form 2 (grade 9). Zimbabwe has got a President with 6 University degrees, but the man is worse than a Kaponya. You are only aiming at Sata, but what you forget is that God will give us a man with that paper qualification you so much yap about.
Degree in dancing :d:d:d:d:d:d:d
Atase, last time some president said all district commissioners should have first degrees, i wonder how many of them have stepped into lecture theatres. we also have a lot non degree holder perm secs. This issue is targeted at one Sata. period!!!! Ni zed politics
THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) yesterday unanimously adopted an article that requires a presidential candidate to have the minimum academic qualification of a degree.
Definition of Unanimous: (1.) in complete agreement; “a unanimous decision” (2.) acting together as a single undiversified whole; “a solid voting bloc”
Does this mean the UPND also voted for this article? If so then that explains why HH joined the pact. HH is one clever chap. A political strategist indeed. 😕
The MMD has to win in 2011 though so the good economic trends can continue. No experiments please.
# 80 THE SAINT ,
By your reasoning, even pipo covered in corruption like Chiluba could run again ?. More than 50% of the electrolet are unlearned and with out some sort of checks they will vote for anyone. To apply for a managment position in any major company you need at least a degree. Are the owners of that company practicing discrimination or do they want what is best for the company ?. And why do they need a degree holder, are illinformed to demand this as a minimum ? Are you saying mangment of a country is less important as you do not need any qualifications ?. The whole developt world does not vote for uneducated leaders to high office only in Africa do pipo who seem educated contemplate this. Is it suprising that Africa is the least developt continent yet potentially the richest
#88 Mossad-KGB – ACCA or CIMA holders are not holders of degree but professional qualification. A degree is clarified as a bachelors, masters and doctorate. Without these three, you are not eligible, although the bachelors degree is less that CIMA and ACCA.
28
Observer @ 28 Mwana PF have no membership cards so how do you know that those are genuine PF? William Banda of Unip and now masquarading as MMD is jus playing on your minds- Sata or no Sata the PACT will win come 2011.
~o)~o)cofee break please.
such things are aimed at preventing some big fish from being the president.
S*** for president please!!!!!!!!!!!!1:-tpoint of interjection,leaders are born and not made out of colleges or universities.
i beg to move ohh!!! Chineke,God Forbid oh![-x[-x[-x[-x[-x[-x=;
Here is a catalogue of educated leaders:
HAITI: François “Papa Doc” Duvalier (Medical doctor)
HAITI: Jean-Claude Duvalier (Lawyer)
UGANDA: Godfery Binaisa QC (Lawyer)
CUBA: Fidel Castro (Medical Doc)
MALAWI: Hastings Kamuzu Banda (Medical doc)
SOUTH AFRICA: Dr Vervood (Medic)
USA: George W Bush
A constitution that targets individuals cannot stand the test of time. Come what may, this constitution will be amended in future. I don’t like Sata but I don’t think it is right to target him for exclusion.
Interestingly, Robert Mugabe’s father was from Malawi (see Wikipedia).
#
This is a very interesting debate. I feel people should be the one to decide. We could have an educated fool or dicatator for that matter. The bottomline is the so called educated ‘politicians’ must not seat on the fence. NCC is proofing to be contentious. While one would expect them to go 50 plus 1 %….no they rejected it… and look what we have … Sata must quickly go to school ad get clash degree even in insects behavior…that will do.
OK all those who think this clause was meant to fix Sata are misguided. It is a fact that Countries with educated presidents have left a better inheritance for their children. Don’t tell me about KK please. We are in the mess we are in now because him and his boys eat up all our inheritance. Look at Malaysia, or even Botswana, countries we were in the same boat with. Yes KK educated us but he could have done far better had he been educated. Please no more grade 7/8 or train shunters or bus conductors for presidency , we have had enough. Everybody can see that sanity to Zambia was only restored when LPM became president. Please lest us not go back. We are a developing nation we need to put in place better systems, maybe then we shall allow train shunters to rule us again
You guys lets be focused and not petty or shallow minded who said that a degree makes you the best leader,manager,ceo,director etc,no wonder Zambia is full of people with pride,greed,selfishness,inferior or the so called “some of us”people who think that someone with no education or a drop out has nothing to offer,you are the type of people that will beat your children because they spoke a local language instead of English.A lot of brainwashing has been done, please wake up from your slumbers been sleeping far too long!!!
This is good. I have a degree in Horse Rinding SO I Qualify.
#85engines – That is not possible to source the money for the referendum. We have an election due by 2011, Mongu – kalabo road etc. The election will be held in the old constitution just you correctly observed. If we think it will be in the old constitution will be laying to ourselves.
#94 kc
The appointments you are talking about are require people who have been trained FOR THE JOB! You cannot be a doctor unless you are trained to be one. Tell me now, what training equips one to be President? Even if you have a degree in Engineering you cannot be a doctor, because the training is incongruous. BUT being President has no precedential training. Ther is no degree called Bachelors in Presidency. Otherwise, the nearest we can accept is a degree in political science! On educated leaders, tell me what degree the former British Prime Minister John Major had?
…..89(cont)….human rights.
Just buy one from Matero…
Consolation – most NCC members have just barred their kids and grandkids from entering plot 1 and that is a fact.
It only those who have not gone through panel beating to obtain a degree that do not understand its value. A bachelor’s degree does not only qualify someone in a particular field but it also opens up someones’ mental faculties to be receptive to a host of other things. So those who think a degree in Beekeeping is not as good, you are mistaken. Anyway you speak from the abstract. I have a question for those saying education is irrevevant to the Presidency, would you be confortable then to go and pick an illiterate fisherman to come and Govern you? Why are you saying Grade 12 is fine coz I believe a G12 is an education level which only lower than a degree, so we agree that we need an educated President and so if we can get the highest level of ed. for a president, why not. Just accept it.
# 106 THE SAINT
having a degree in engineering shortens your time of study if say you want to now study medicine.
there are many a maneger who have engineering degree not mangment degrees. having a degree hopfully proves one is educated, unless it was from matero uni. That is the point. Educated leaders. Education makes a big difference to ones reasoning and conduct. How can you even contemplate a presido who is uneducated. You are talking about J.majors years, that was what 15 yrs ago. In the mordern world no developt forward looking country would give an uneducated person the highest office. Only in the poorest continent. It makes sense.
Here is a catalogue of educated leaders:
HAITI: François “Papa Doc” Duvalier (Medical doctor)
HAITI: Jean-Claude Duvalier (Lawyer)
UGANDA: Godfery Binaisa QC (Lawyer)
CUBA: Fidel Castro (Medical Doc)
MALAWI: Hastings Kamuzu Banda (Medical doc)
SOUTH AFRICA: Dr Vervood (Medic)
USA: George W Bush
What we need in Zambia is a good leader regardless of his level of education. Zambia has had four presidents since independence and if we are to judge them by education, Kaunda ranks higher than the rest put together. What people who are calling for a degree holder to to hold the presidential office should understand is that we had leaders long before the introduction of western education. I concur with the sentiments of the Saint above when he cites some of the educated despots…
Worry not, my people. This is not yet a constitution. It has first to go to parliament for it to be enacted. We know the MMD has majority in parliament so some contentious clauses will be taken care of. So eat your heart out #19 Kalos2020.
No. 111. Kc. I hear you, it looks like people here do not know that education just unlocks ones thinking capacity. Anyway, it has passed and we are happy.
#111 kc
ZIMBABWE: Robert Mugabe (degree in education)
15 years ago, yes, but still passes as modern times because they have had degree holders since Sir Winston Churchill. Sir Winston Churchill is arguably the greatest Prime Minister Britain ever had but “Churchill generally did poorly in school, for which he was punished.” (Wikipedia) and had no degree. The grade 12 education level is agreeable simply because of literacy. As President, a person must be able to read and comprehend what is presented to them. University degree? I do not think that this adds anything more to a person and I have two plus Fellowships of a Royal College and the Royal Society in UK. I have learnt much about life outside classrooms. Here I rest my case.
This is good news coz i have a degree in Floral arrangement!
Fellow Zambians,Leadership is inborn ,our freedom figters who fought for independence were not degree holders and what can some of our degree holders show us what they have done for zambia ,what have they enveted or initiated to benefit zambia? Let us not make laws to disadvantage one individual who is a threat to some people.
Yilibwino ngako soti, osati a donti donti. Tili nayo nga! nga! nga! muntu opunzila afunika !!!;)
Can someone please tell me who these strange people at NCC are. Very suspect. They failed to vote properly on the will of the people on 50+1.Do they mean what they voted for?
Here are more educated leaders who destroyed their countries:
SENEGAL: Léopold Sédar Senghor
THE SUDAN: Ismail al-Azhari (Maths teacher)
NIGERIA: Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (educationist)
Here are some non-degree holders who prospered their countries:
LIBERIA: William Tubman. Liberia had the largest mercantile fleet in the world, the world’s largest rubber industry, the third largest exporter of iron ore in the world and had attracted more than US$1 billion in foreign investment. By the time he left office.
This is good. A think tank president is a must. We dont need a time waster with unnecessary consultations ! Wake Zambia ! Even Jesus is extremely intelligent !
I think we are going in the wrong direction on this matter. We need to construct a more inclusive society instead of alienating millions of Zambians who may not have a voice to speak now or access to a computer like us. Those of us that are educated have done so at the expense and sweat of hard working people of Zambia. Now we are better than them? This habit of excluding and engineering laws to target individuals will cost the country dearly in the long-term. Chiluba did it against Kaunda and now it is deja vu. Please correct this hideous mistake before we continue being the laughing stock of the international community. Zambia belongs to all and everybody has the right to participate in its politics as long as they pay tax.
:((well colleagues, time has come to deconjest cairo road and katondo street of degree holders now.
it is time to become civilised whether at the expense of sat or RB no one should care.forget about freedom fighters their time is no more ,remember we are writing in english and not in vernacular so we need educated leaders not people with humble education.
Imagine some at 44 years people can still be accepted at various universties so what is special about murderer sata who killed paul tembo.
Sorry that some of you youths were so young that you may not know who paul tembo was.
#24 Robert Mugabe is a degree holder from Haare university in South Africa. This is same university that Mandela studied his law degree. Prof. Lameck Ngoma is such produce of this famous university. I know its not a good idea to let things continue the way they are going, better try something else and see how far we can go. We want people with knowledge to stand up and support the Zambian course at international level. Leadership is a combination of skills and wisdom
And several degree holders who really prospered their countries:
BOTSWANA: Sir Seretse Khama
GHANA: Kwame Nkrumah
TANZANIA: Mwalimu (arguable)
Indeed, these did so not because they had degrees, but because they had travelled outside of their countries. International travel is an eye opener. ‘Umwana ushyenda, atasha banyina…’ But my point is to show that we have good and bad examples from both camps.
We need graduate and not time wasters like SATA and friend RB,No more murderers of paul Tembo.We want change no more old timers we need new blood,degree holders VIVA NCC
It should not just be a degree but one earned from credible university. With the mashrooming of private universities and online degrees, makes one doubt if this clause will give us the desired presidential candidates. Otherwise its a move in the right direction. all should aspire for higher education
jus to fix one person NCC is a big let dawn
Cursed are the inhabitants of Zambia for they shall not see development. Blessed are the Diasporan people for they shall enjoy the fruits of the developed western where people are civilised. very du.ll NCC guys who want only those with degree in dancing or telling stories and travelling to rule the country. Mwanya you will never see development…Now i should marry a blonde no more coming to Zambia. you useless people.
Current Botswana President! Not a degree holder,but a career military officer, Pilot!
I am educated but I will never despise those who are not because I have learnt much from my very humbly schooled parents and relatives. I know that some of them would have made very good Presidents had they been given the opportunity. Our parents who were not so schooled worked hard to get us to where we are. They did not go far in school but in their own way, they were ‘educated.’ It is not what you are taught that matters, it is what you learn. Schools and Universties may be places of learning but many people leave with a piece of paper- schooled but not educated, taught but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. I campaign against Sata for President, but he should not be barred. Let PF show us his qualities.
This is nonsese . if Ncc was made to stop sata then people will be very suroprised when sata wil produce his academic degrees which he has been studying .this also show that mr.sata is feared by the mmd and also that he is the right man for plot1.Mr.sata can you show these fools that you are clever than them .VIVA SATA FOR PRESIDENCY.
#126,…… Terrible name to give yourself, never make confessions like that even in jest, they are extremely powerful
I can not believe these people are actually being payed to come up with such divisive laws. Targeting political opponents that THEY chose. What a bunch of jokers. The meaning of democracy means the people decide who they want. In fact we must be aiming to INCLUDE more people in the process eg younger people, women. Personally I think this NCC is waste of time and money. After all these years of being independent it has become a political hobby of changing the constitution all the time. It makes the country as a whole an unsafe and insecure place, since people do not know when a law that discriminates against them will pop up. Stop this madness.
“The aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education … (and) the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth. Now this idea cannot be applied to all the members of a society except where intercourse of man with man is mutual, and except where there is adequate provision for the reconstruction of social habits and institutions by means of wide stimulation arising from equitably distributed interests. And this means a democratic society.”-John Dewey
#135 Miss Daisy
You sound like a citizen of Zion for your language betrays you. Were you born of the seed of our father Abraham, that father of the faithful? Do you pledge allegiance to Yeshuah haMashiyah ben Elohim?
Every educated person appreciates education. Those saying all you need is wisdom are deceived. Not all uneducated people are wise. Some illiterates are fools. Yes some educated people are fools too. So you have fools and wise people in both camps. Wisdom is good, and it’s better when an educated person is wise.
Sata is not educated. Is he wise? HH is educated, is he a fool?
Let’s have an educated person to start with. I am for a president who has at least a 1st degree – in wahtever field. It’s all about metal development. Yes KK and FTJ did not have a degree, but we must look foward not backwards.
Here in the UK, every nurse in hospital will have to have a degree. In general they want as many people to have degrees. An educated population is better for development. See…
I hope they have gone further to specify which degrees would be acceptable coz there’re lots of ‘institutions’ especially online ones who are offering all sorts of degrees within a month or less!
In this era just about anyone can obtain a degree at anytime anywhere but not from reputable institutions of course!
# 131 Mboo
Why do you people curse Zambia and those living in Zambia. Dont you have relatives in Zambia right now. Why are you cursing them, and our families out there.
May be you yourself should be cursed from today, and all to go wrong in your life. It’s only fair that you experience the cursed life that you wish for innocent Zambia and Zambians who have done you nothing wrong. If you are cursed, even that white woman you want to marry could die, soon.
Hope this will cause you to rescind your words.
Assuming the Constitution is not enacted by 2011, and elections are held under the current constitution of simple majority, no educational qualifications, no restrictions on the citzenship and a lot more draconian and discriminatory clauses and Sata wins, what happens to the draft constitution?
# 106 MMD Chief Bootlicker, for once I agree with you.
Yes goodwell a degree in tailoring qualifies you ,including honourary ones from university of malawi.What a batch of non value adding characters we have in the NCC thats why this country looks like it been at war for 45 years,too many self serving characters.We should have just subjected all the controvertial clauses to a referendum instead of wasting time with this sick joke called NCC.What a waste of money and time.50+1 no, degree holders yes,who a hell do these people think they are ,500 over payed non-value adding characters deciding to put such a stupid clause in a national document on behalf of 10 million.Has shikapwasha got a degree,so the character has no ambition of being president someday.Degrees in zambia are everywhere,matero university will give mr sata one by 2011 to shame…
Where does this end? If this is going to be true then all MPs should also have degrees. Infact I would rather MPs have degrees than the president. But even that is discrimination. Everyone in cabinet should have a degree if this is to hold. Should something unfortunate happen to the President and VP and the Speaker, who ever is next in line should meet the minimum requirements to be president. This the most myopic rule we can enshrine in the constitution. We are robbing ourselves of great potential leaders. I have quite a few degrees myself but I often find them inadequate when it comes to solving human challenges. I count on my uneducated father’s wisdom. WAKEUP
The day the NCC failed to pass the
The day the NCC failed to pass the 50+1 was the day it rubbished itself. There will be no consititution that will stand the test of time until nonpartisan issues are put aside. What are the MPs saying as this is coming to them too??
ZAMBIA NEEDS THIS, WHEN YOU HAVE EDUCATED LEADERS, THEY WILL BE VERY CRITICAL AND THEY WILL STOP POLITICS OF INSULTS LIKE WE HAVE NOW IN ZAMBIA. WISDOM IS BUILT ON KNOWLEDGE.
A good example are the Western countries where they have educated leaders, they have clean politics and this is because their leaders understand issues. Look at their levels of development, because their leaders understand how economies work, they are developed.
In Africa, Kenya is an example, the president and MPs has to have a degree and look at how developed Kenya is, they are way ahead of us and yet the have few natural resources. They depend on tourism and agriculture.
OPPOSITION LEADER IF YOU DONT HAVE DEGREES AND HAVE A PASSION FOR ZAMBIA, GO TO UNIVERSITY AND GET A DEGREE. 4 YEARS IS NOT TOO FAR.
# 148,
My dear brother, No constitution can stand the test of time unless you don’t understand this misused term by our politicians.I hold an MA Political Science and about to earn a Juris Doctorate Degree (JD Degree) to buy that lie.Ask any law school Graduate or professor is there is any such a thing as a constitution that stands the test of time.
If you are not educated sorry. Tongas in Zambia say,”Uyiyide nguchi bona !” He who is educated sees it. Zambia needs a degree holder for presidency. The contenders in turn will not be uncouth. We should not go back to politics of insults and violence. Our Zambia needs Zambians who are educated and are within Zambia striving to develop this country and not cowards in the diaspora whose comments are retrogressive.Poverty cant kill an intellectual but gives him the urge to survive! Come to Zambia so that we fight poverty together. The cluse is good for effective planning of Zambia, it should be extended to MPs, Maybe taxpayer’s money will be saved from unnecessary resignations!
Now that this degree clause has been adopted, there is need to expand the scope and raise the required minimum educational level for Members of Parliament (MPs) and local councillors.
Otherwise, we foresee an education gap between the President and other policy makers in Parliament and council chambers.
Raising the minimum for the MPs and Local Government Councillors to say, Form 5 (Grade 12) or 5 “O” Levels from a recognised educational institution would be ideal if the said educational gap is to be lessened.
This will enhance the calibre of leadership and logical debate which would certainly be for the betterment of our country. Let us not forget that we are in a technological world which need knowledgeable people to understand issues.
Surely, This is POSITIVE discrimination to benefit our country.
Minimum academic qualification of first degree! Postgraduate diploma can be obtained in one year. No need to study for 3-4 years. Besides there are some people with masters degrees and earned PhD without first degrees. I however, support the move.
I take this as a stub in King Cobra’s back. Like FTJ stopped KK from contesting in 1996, RB and blocked King Co from the 2011 polls. The pact will still pull through.
Let them change the clause but we wont vote for them.
Surely in the masses lies s/t/u/p/i/d/i/t/y. The majority of the comments here support this silly law, trying to block one person. All Zambians should have a chance if they feel capable, and we will vote for the one we want. As some people have said here- how about a degree in dancing/acting- how does that exactly help leading a nation. Anyway those with a degree in dancing will be leading vimbuza dances. This western education has made ppl forget who they are, some now blv themselves to breathe blue air, different from the ordinary. Emancipate yourselves from such discrimination against Jah/your own people. Jah will prevail.
this is a good clause. being a holder of a 1st degree in Eng, MSC in Eng, MA in Economics and now pursuing a phd in Eng, i now understand that education at that level makes you appreciate issues which a non degree holder cannot. those oppossing this clause should just face it and go back to school. its never too late!
This fear that an illiterate person may be voted into power is totally absurd and undemocratic. There are certain pre-requisites to an exclusion but not on this one. No one trains to be President. This is an insult to all those who chose any person to be their leader who was not schooled in a classroom. Right, I am done on this subject and I move on once again as sad as I was in 1996> How right Kwame Nkrumah was when he said that we want the right to govern ourselves or misgovern ourselves, whatever the case may be.
# 159 I am a a degree holder too- just one though. But tell that nonsense of “makes you appreciate issues which a non-degree holder cannot” to Bill Gates, Warren Buffet (who was rich despite dropping out of school seeing that he knew more than professors- then only went back to school when the father pressed him hard on it). Get off your high horse! I work for a successful Forbes 500 company and the owner has no degree- his pure initiative has made him a multi-millionaire.
I dont agree with what I would call this degree nonsense. I know some brilliant pipo who are non degree holders and some degree holders who are I would not trust to look after my dog for five minutes. .. This is pety and in my opinion targeted at Sata
Good. It pays to read books and know the difference between a crime and an offense, adultery and theft.
We’re talking Presidents of a banana republic here, not billioannaires.
I fully agree with the NCC, in fact this clause is long overdue. I have always asked why poor countries like Zambia lack wise leadership. It is criminal for a country which has abundant resources, yet its citizens live in abject poverty. You can`t have a leader without knowledge. Wisdom is knowledge which is understood and applied. Did i hear someone say, what about a degree in music or tailoring? do they also apply? The answer is yes, because to obtain any degree, you need to have studied general education courses irrespective of your major. I don`t know if this applies to degrees obtained in Zambia. The point is if someone has attained a minimum of a bachelor`s degree, it is a proven fact that he or she does not exhibit shallow mindedness like high school drop-outs.
Most organizations recruit graduate degree holders for their Management trainee programs, irrespective of the field of study and this has proven a success. Whether this clause is aimed at blocking some individuals or not, it must be viewed as a blessing in disguise. Now somebody raised another question about qualifications such as ACCA and CIMA. Again, these are not academic but professional qualifications. To study for professional certifications, it is assumed that one already has obtained a degree qualification. I notice that most young men in Zambia get into these certifications without obtaining their first degrees either by entering such qualification with vocational credentials such as ZDA, AAT, NATECH etc or may have met mature age entry with work experience . They are wrong and…
. They are wrong and need to be “re-schooled”. Professional qualifications only limit your scope to your profession. They are narrow but deep. Just like ACCA, its students may not take courses in biology and chemistry like their counterparts studying for degrees in Accounting and Finance at universities, especially in the US. Degree seeking students may have to take several natural and social science courses along with their Accounting majors.
People supporting this clause should think again. Universities never teach you leadership qualities all they teach you is how to solve equations and how to write essays. Remember, there are also degrees in hairdressing, are you telling me that even a degree holder in hair dressing is more qualified to be president than a person who has a diploma in business administration? This is really ridiculous and we should throw this clause out of our country. What we need is a simple pratriotic president who loves his country more than himself and the rest will follow.
#165,the false assumption you make is that the only educated people are those who obtain formal education. There are many ways to get education most of which is informal. This is why many technologists and business people do not get formal education because their informal education compensates for it.
You also make the false assumption that formal education confers both knowledge and understanding(insight) into leadership and effective management of government. This is not true as an example President Banda despite having a post graduate diploma in developmental economics does not use his education to help him avoid the mistake selling zamtel privatization. There are serious long term economic development and national security implications for the sale which have not been addressed.
This just goes to show how s t u p i d Africans are! So what? RB has got a degree and yeah a another! But is he any better than the lot we have? Emotions aside, Zambians vote for HH.
#165,the false assumption you make is that the only educated people are those who obtain formal education. There are many ways to get education most of which is informal. This is why many technologists and business people do not get formal education because their informal education compensates for it.
You also make the false assumption that formal education confers both knowledge and understanding(insight) into leadership and effective management of government. Leadership and effective management of government requires intellectual skills, creative skills, a moral value system,empathy, decisiveness, experience working with different types of personality types and teams, broad knowledge base, and a sense of purpose and vision. The NCC was too partisan or had limited knowledge to decide.
NO ONE TOLD SATA NOT TO GO TO SCHOOL. THE MAN IS A GRADE 5 POLICEMAN.
Well done NCC, we need standards in Zambia. Sata can go back to primary school and maybe he might become president one day……in 2069
#172, there is no reason to deny the political birth rights of zambian citizens who only have a grade 12 education the right to aspire to the zambian presidency because MMD party wants to make sure Micheal Sata does not compete in the 2011 elections. The NCC is supposed to be a non-partisan body which produces a document which can serve to guide the enactment of laws in zambia. It should be a document we can all use to help unify zambia and prevent internal and external conflicts. It is should not be an avenue for politicians to undermine each other’s short term political goals.
#173
And no one denies Zambians their rights to education, there is no limit to how far one can go in his education. This is actually way overdue, in other countries (including Kenya) you need a degree to be president. This will actually make Zambians aim high in their education.
Now even if NCC said the minimum qualification should be a grade 12 certificate, Sata still does not qualify. The man only went as far as primary school.
#175, I dont know how long you have been away from zambia but there are qualified young people in zambia who cannot go to university because it is not affordable. Secondly, there are equally qualified young zambians who cannot get places because we have few universities in the country.
If NCC a non-partisan body set up to determine the constitution which will guide the formulation and enforcement of the laws of zambia wants to decide on such an important matter they need to also put a clause in the constitution that guarantees university education to every zambian.
There is no logic to this clause because the NCC is either too partisan or it is formulated by people who have limited knowledge base. Maybe you can show us the logic.
THIS IS GREAT!!!!
The degree requirement is meant to weed out those fools who sicken us by their cheap 90 days development agenda. If all Zambians thought sensibly that would have been unnecessary, so we have have been saved from all the nonsense that we see on LT. Yes some degree holders may not be clever or wise. But among the thousands of degree holders are brilliant men and women with immense reserves of wisdom. It is up to us to pick from this group. So guys we still have a wide choice. Anyway, fools with degrees are better than kaponyas, at least the educated fools will understand economic concepts like inflation which kaponyas like sata cannot fathom.
So basically what they basically saying is that the majority of people that vote can never rule Zambia, I wonder what percentage of the people that vote in Zambia have degrees, not how many Zambians cos a large percentage of Zambians that have degrees dont even live in Zambia.I don’t see the logic behind this.
178, Easy my friend, of course it is a fact that the majority of people who vote can never rule Zambia. And the number of people who vie for presidency is but a tiny fraction of the total number of people who vote. Be careful how you use numbers, mate!
#178,not really. What they are saying is that they are narrowing the number of people who can aspire to the highest political office in zambia in order to increase the chances of a small number of people with degrees to qualifying for the zambian presidency. In the short term they are doing it in an attempt to undermine a populist candidate Micheal Sata of PF party who threatens to undo the economic tax breaks they have given to wealthy mining companies and other investors.
The long term goal is for them to entrench the unpopular neo-liberal agenda of auctioning economic assets such as colonial era assets, UNIP era parastatal companies, and zambian land to foreigners. It is not possible to sustain such these policies when there is a fully democratic constitution with majority rule.
#178, probably about 3% of the population have university degrees. The numbers could be more but it is not more than 20%. So they are basically saying the leadership of zambia should come from 3% of the population and this is decided by who has access to an expensive university education which only the rich can afford. The problem with such an approach is that it does not maximize the 80/20 rule heuristic by give universal access to university education and will in the long term rob zambia of good leadership. We might get a ruling class such as what they have in failed states where a large poor population is ruled by a closed and detached ruling elite with weak state institutions. This will lead to an unstable political and economic system. The clause doesnt make sense.
This not democratic because it is preventing a certain class of people to participate in the politics of the nation and yet they are Zambians.This is a selfish approach and has no interest for the larger masses.Yes Zambia could have 12 universities( on paper and could someone list the Universities and where they are located please) but the government does not provide equal opportunity to a villager in Shangombo to go to these Universities so as he/she can qualify for presidence.This is all a fallacy, believing that you can create a leader from a university education! How many of these so educated have raped Zambia and continue doing so by forming and jumping from one political party to another?If education really create leadership wouldn’t organisations eg UNZA, ministries running…
I have met more degree holder *****s and boot lickers than the humbly educated. Some of these chaps who have the so called degrees could have acquired them from Matero and if it is from a University it should be through a leakage. What a sham, mother Zambia. When I we ever going to learn that education and literacy goes beyond sitting behind a desk. That what happens when we leave everything to poverty stricken, pot bellied men and women, who never sleep but spend all their lives EATING EVERY THING THAT COMES THEIR WAY. They have eaten the soul of the national, which allows every individual to aspire, even to the highest office of the land. Indeed, this is the worst discrimination I have ever seen. Worse than aparthied.
I await the next constitution review…………
#177, I empathise with you. You seem to have lost it in your blinded quest to side line certain individuals from aspiring to position of president. I want to know as who should determine who the president is? And if the answer is the people, so why not the people decide who their leader should be. Why should we spend billions of Kwacha, just to sideline other Zambians to aspire for presidency? To me that is clearly an inferiority complex. # 177, if we were to ask you to avail your grade 12 certificate, we can find that it has more toll numbers (999) than the so called Kaponyas. It could be that you got your degree through ‘connections’ or from Matero. What about that………..
I have one degree already, so i want to get another one so i can stand in congo as well. quite exciting times…Mr Sata can borrow it if i dont win.