AFTER several months of anxiety and speculation among members of the public, the Constitution Technical Committee will today release the first Draft Constitution.
This is a breakthrough after the initial schedule to release the document at the end of February this year was staggered to today.
There have been varying voices on the document with some sections of society expressing doubt while others have embraced the process with confidence.
Committee spokesperson Simon Kabanda said in Lusaka yesterday that the chairperson Justice Annel Silungwe will today unveil the working document of the new Constitution.
Mr Kabanda said the consultation period on the Draft Constitution would last for 40 days.
“The chairperson of the Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian Constitution (TCDZC), Justice Annel Silungwe, SC will today launch the period for public consultations on the contents of the working document of the new Republican Constitution,” Mr Kabanda said.
Mr Kabanda said the committee has lined up several activities aimed at sensitising members of the public on the contents of the draft constitution in order for them to make informed decisions.
Activities lined up include discussion programmes on the Constitution-making process on both radio and television stations throughout the country.
The committee will also place copies of the working document in the three daily newspapers. Members of the public have been urged to take advantage and make comments.
Mr Kabanda said the Draft Constitution would be transcribed into braille and large print for the benefit of the visually impaired.
He said that the working document would also be translated into seven major local languages namely Lunda, Chitonga, Kaonde, Silozi, Chibemba, Chinyanja, and Luvale.
Zambia has attempted four times to review its Constitution but this had not resulted in expected results.
[Times of Zambia]
Good start and all the best folks. God bless Zambia
Where can we download it? I am interested in 3 things: Zambia as a Christian Nation, 50 plus 1 and domestication of UN proposed homosexual laws, period.
Lunda, Luvale and Kaonde? Arent these languages similar? Why do we have to waste so much resources. Just print in the 2 major languages.
Please do not expose your ignorance. The three are totally different. What do you mean by two major languages? which ones are major and who classified them as such?
:)
Well done Mr. kabanda and team, you are men of gallant and Vera and we will make our submissions as expected.
Priscilla are you Zambian? In case you are not the languages- Lunda,Luvale and Kaonde are not similar. They are very different. Get to North Western immediately and learn more about the languages. And which two languages do you consider as major? It appears your understanding of Zambian languages is very poor.There are no minor and major languages.
I totally agree with you.
@ Priscilla: Why do people like you always want to criticise. If you not interested don’t read. There are alot of well meaning Zambians who want the process to be transparent and this is a step in the right direction. Stay where you are we don’t need you. Bravo GRZ and all involved.
Naine I want it in ChiTumbuka, that is the only lingo I can read and understand!
Wasuzika Dada!!
Ba kabanda and tearm mulibakali well done man.
The major two languages are Tonga and Silozi cos Silozi represents 35 of the 73, while the rest account for another half.
Ichiloshi
Kabemba mucahabeli!
Good work. Hope those in teh diaspora will be able to down load it. God bless your work and God bless Zambia.
Former priest Kabanda had a shave and bought a suit? Bravo, Fackson Shamenda could do well following suit.
Its about time! Seeing that this ccommittee consists mainly of oasis forum members I hope the bill of rights will be Iincluded. Because that is one of the main reasons they were not part of ncc!
Hope it’ll address 50% + 1, elected veep, term limits for MPs, by elections, etc
In engineering, we say, better late than never. For 20 years, there was nothing tangible; for 6months we have something tangible. Now we will leave the document to you the educated. Disect, analyse and examine issues as we enjoy “ruling”. Meanwhile, I just want to know how a a Grade 7 failure who was a police constable became a president. Isn’t that inspirational? They call that “strategy”; not accident. Well done my Kaponya President, they are working, results will start trickling down. “Deeds not words”. Amen
Who can translate these documents in local languages? Please dont cheat us let the constitution be in English and we shall comment, how can u translate ” constitution making process in Nyanja forexample, even in bemba can someone tell me?? Even people on the constitution committee dont understnad zambian languages is their a tribe or language called NYANJA in zambia, where do nyanjas come from? atleast u say chewa, nsenga,tumbuka,senga,chikunda etc
if you are going to translate the document into the so called major languages don’t forget to translate it in NAMWANGA/ MAMBWE
what a defining moment for mother zambia.i am particulaly intersted in the declaration of zambia as a christian nation.I also encourage all zambians to take keen interest and make sober and reflective contributions.To the politicians i urge you not to hijack the process.
Paul @ No.5
The 2 major languages are NYANJA and SILOZI. And the good thing about these 2 languages is that they are not tied to one particular tribe. So we actually need to make them second and third Official Zambian Languages after English.
you wish! what is zilozi? Every Zambian speaks Zambia’s prominent and beautiful bemba language and Nyanja dont know about the rest..
Come guys! do you have to sneak in a tribal note at the slightest opportunity? all of you are important and very much a part of Zambia.
Well done for seiving through the work already done by the failed NCC; I am sure it would have been a mountain to climb had you started from the scratch. Well done!
it is the Mung’omba commission that did the work. Your NCC just chewed money moron.
Its inteeresting to note the that technical committee has without fear or favour touched on all the contentious issues zambians have been crying for like the 50+1, elective veep, bill of rights, christian nation declaration, funding of political parties (though modalities of funding need to be seriously debated), etc. Bravo kabanda and team. Viva progressive zambia
let the documents reach deeper barotseland beacuse there are no radios,news papers and almost impassabvle roads.its time for the goverment at lusaka to reach lusu,imusho.there are zambians there who have never seen the zambian currency and money.zambians are not only those who able to take microphone and shout issues.those in imusho are also zambians.
Will this bring an end to poverty…
Where can we download the document twa papata????
zambianconstitution.org
Give us a hyperlink so we can download the draft and see how it impacts us from 2026 onwards!
Delay is not defeat,things dont just happen overnight…Inshita yakuFyeba yafika.. Sikolokolo.. Hope issues of seccesion(*sp) have been well articulated.. Wheather its finishing NCC works or otherwise..the fact is its PF Doing the Job right…one zambia..
Just print it in bembg and nyanja. These other languages are fake. By the way who speaks them? Am in lsk and ive never heard one speak and i dont know wether they feel shy to speak their tonga language.
You must be living kwa kamanga my friend.
is it a Zambian constitution or kolwestans’?
Honourable Justice Annel Silungwe & team, well done! I am really interested to read how the contentious issues of bills of rights, 50% +1, VEEP elective & running mate of president & homosexuality rights have been addressed. Now, you will see from this document how a president who means well for his country & the future generations will achieve through this technical committee to give the Zambians a constitution that will stand the tset of time! good material has always been there, but we lacked political will! Finally the Zambians are slowly but surely getting their fair deal of managing their country! Finally, all Zambians like Dr. Guy Scott can live in this country as they deserve and not be segregated on the basis of where their parents or grandparents came from. Just my thoughts!
I am Aushi, and dont understand Bemba, can you please translate it for me too. @Priscilla, Nyanja and Silozi dont represent the marjority of Zambians. You are biased. The language with most representation is Bemba though I dont understand it personally.
@ Pulamasaka, the constitution is not zambian, it is mabisitan and ngombestan.
What matters is what the government will say! Constitutions in Zambia are made or remade by sitting governments, it doesn’t matter how nice a review commission or technical committee draws it. So stop the premature celebrations.
I hope Kabanda considers getting this working constitution to as many Zambians as possible. I suggest they create a website with a hyper link for those of us with internet access.
And by the way, what criteria did they use to come up with the 7 local “major” languages? So, how are those that can’t read English and any of those 7 languages supposed to know what’s included or not in this draft constitution????
Just saying….
VERY GOOD WORK !!!!!!!!!!!
Election of President
on Page 70
A friend forwarded me a copy, here are contentious issues covered:-
1. Dual citizenship though allowed in clause 18, will disqualify one from being a presidential candidate. 2. 50%+1 has been included. 3. Vice President elected as running mate to presidential candidate. 4. Election date is last Thursday of September,every 5 years after last general elections. 6. Ministers will be appointed from outside parliament, will attend parliament when necessary to business of National Assembly, but will not have VOTING POWER in parly. 7. Bill of rights and the states responsibilities have been defined. This is a good start, I will study the documents in detail and then we can debate. Those of you who can read only Namwanga, try to have an interpreter wihin communities! VIVA THIS DRAFT CONSTITUTION!
Ba Kabanda has undergone plastic surgery going by his new looks in the pic.He looks like Father ‘chicken’ Bwalya.
Where can we download the draft constitution?
We want dual citizenship aswell.
People we have capable linguists in Zambia.I will give you an Example of the former Zambian Ambassador to China David Saviye who once worked as a local languages translator at the MOF Ministry of foreign affairs.Let us be positive in our comments
Downloaded the draft constitution and had a marathon read through it,My comments…. WELDONE! the draft gives me hope for our country.
Prisca, God created people as one, who are you to oppose God.
first & 4most i would like give credit 2 mr.silungwe & a team job well done.u’re garant men & women 4 our great nation zambia,continue with a same spirity. Just 2 add on where can heve access 2 download the draft constitution.
Its a step in the right direction. Hot issues deserve delicate a debate…the document should be analyzed with the future at heart.
this is a right direction for Mother Zambia. the only thing is now to analyze it and make meaningful contributions.
Am loving the work the govt is doing so far, i hope they will continue with the same hard work. Now am really for the idea of a running mate being a VP, i see the possibility of them working against each other, the usual hatred thing that goes on among politicians will make it difficult for them to work together. Teti fibombe thats why when a president comes into power they appoint new generals, ministers and so on, so that they surround themselves with people they trust and people who have the same goals and understand their policies. i would really love peace loving zedians to think hard before voting for this clause!
CAP 54 (2)……. FAMILY MATTERS….. At 18 Years no person is ready to marry, but to go higher learning institution, please remove the 18 yrs age clause, and simply say, a people can marry when he or she is fullly mutured, and responsible enough to look after a family at least at the age of 25 years.. if a person is married off at the age below 25yrs, the law must take its course..thats why we are having so many streets kids, result of failed marriages from young couples.