UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has challenged his Patriotic Front (PF) counterpart Edgar Lungu to sign a social contract with civil society as an assurance that the PF will deliver the constitution on time.
Mr Hichilema said in a statement yesterday that Mr Lungu should commit himself through a social contract that the PF will deliver the constitution immediately after the January 20 presidential election.
He said the PF took about three years to deliver a draft constitution after promising to pass it in 90 days.
“I have noted with interest Honourable Lungu’s stated commitment to deliver the new constitution in his New Year’s message. The PF government took 1126 days to deliver a draft to the Zambian people, after promising to pass it in 90 days. I challenge Honourable Lungu to sign the social contract with civil society,” Mr Hichilema said.
He said the PF did not only delay to release the draft constitution but also backed out of their promise to take it to referendum.
Mr Hichilema said the UPND is 100 percent committed to delivering the constitution and signed a social contract with the Grand Coalition in November which confirms that it will deliver the constitution if he is elected president in the January 20 poll.
He said releasing of the constitution is now a non-negotiable campaign commitment for the UPND.
And Mr Hichilema says teachers need support and recognition because they play a crucial role in national development.
Mr Hichilema said teachers have a large responsibility to educate and inspire the next generation of Zambian business men and women, farmers, workers, entrepreneurs and politicians.
“If we want to improve the education we provide our children, then we must support our teachers and empower them,” he said.
And UPND chairman for elections Ackson Sejani thanked the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for the commendable job it is doing to ensure free and fair elections on January 20.
“We wish to state clearly that we will continue to work with the ECZ to aid them in this effort and we are committed to raising concerns through the appropriate channels, Mr Sejani said in a statement yesterday
Social contract is a high order item for PF if they can’t respect their own constitution what makes you think they will respect this one even if they sign it.
UPND chaps are not happy that Dora and RB are on team Lungu they are saying it’s tribalism:
So its only okay to practice regional politics in upnd but not other parties.? Its okay for southern province to give HH 98% votes cast but not okay for Lungu to get even 78% of votes cast in eastern province.?
I have asked this question before and I will ask again, how does upnd expect votes from other parts of Zambia but do not want to share the votes in southern province.? The day southern province votes will be shared will be the day upnd will get votes from other parts of the country – simple algebra, until then please calm down and take a seat.
Viva EL. Viva PF.
(HH) you are being petty musankwa. There is no law compelling Lungu to sign a meaningless Masonic contract. The PF is just about action and results. (HH) talks too much, like a kachasu drinker.
HH can you start by signing the social contract yourself with all the promises you have made so far. Desperate and shameless bantu botatwe! We are aware of your desperation .We will vote in masses come January 20th.
Mayaya be careful
Who is HH to compel Lungu to sign a social contract? Why should President Edgar Lungu sign the same when he has already given the Zambian people the document? No wonder in every field for one to be considered for a job, the employer asks for experience. This is what HH is lacking. He doesn’t even know who a backbencher is in parliament. HH wants to say when EL signs the so called social contract, he’ll start to brag that whatever he(HH) says, Lungu does it. You’re a dreamer HH and EL is an implementer. Vote ni pali Edgar Lungu…… No experiments
If HH is thinking that if EL won’t sign the so called social contracts and that will disadvantage EL, he is lying. Ifintu ni Lungu. HH is a liar, he promises farmers that he’ll buy maize at a better price than PF and he comes to compounds to promise pipo that he’ll reduce the price of mealie meal. What type of an economist is he? How do you expect the price of the end product be cheaper when the price of raw materials is exorbitant? EL has promised to establish milling plants closer to the producer/farmers/consumer and thereby cutting off transportation costs eventually bringing meali meal prices down. That’s simple economics….. Ifintu ni Lungu….
What is confusing….is the direction HH and the NGO’s group want to go in.
Last week we had a rumour by the group stating that they had information about a bill going to be passed in parliament to enact the Constituion without a referendum. Moan, moan, groan, groan….AND now after it was verified that there is no bill, we have HH demanding a social whatever to guarantee the Constituion…., and a complaint about, 90 days blah, blah! Exasperating!
Can you just get real about how much that referendum will cost the country? We’d have to get money from the West ….again for our democratic processes. We have had the draft out for months, why not just rush it through as suggested in parliament?
Get a grip. Either you want it fast or not. Stop trying to cook up new social…
Get a grip. Either you want it fast or not. Stop trying to cook up new social Contracts. We just want that darn Constituion out!
@patriotic abroad. That was a rumour as you correctly put it.
Well said Mr . President though it is obvious that Mr . Lungu has amnesia due kachasu overdose that has affected all his followers as is reflected by comments made by his followers. In any case, HH you are way ahead of a drunkard with failing liver, kidney and brain.
Zambians salute you Mr. President and be assured of their votes come 20th January.
God bless you abundantly and the zambian nation at large.
Imwe bantu, how do you allow a known masonist to touch a young child, That boy needs to be rayed for, Gosh!Zambia has a functional constitution that needs a few amendments only. His interest, this mansory, is on 50+1. Any party in government will always hesitate on that one to protect their interests- its business as usual, don’t sign any social contract on constitution- VIVA PF AND ECL!
He is admitting that Edgar will win the Election so that he can hold him accountable afterwards.
If we were to borrow a lot more from US constitution hh would be barred because he like mulyokela have not been elected to a position by the public.He is a predetender who wad always coming behind Sata,RB etc.
Social contract>>Lungu shud sign,National debate>>I want Lungu first!!!!!! Iwe, please what’s your problem??? You are 11 presidential candidates in total,U go and start with the others first.ECZ said that all candidates should be treated the same.You talk Lungu, you walk Lungu and you dream Lungu.Lungu will participate in the national debate being organised by LAZ and make sure you attend.