Copperbelt residents and students from Kitwe, Ndola and Luanshya participating at the Copperbelt Forum dubbed, ‘the Zambia We Love,’ resolved to support their Members of Parliament in debating the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 of 2019.
The residents, who gathered at a fully-packed Forum at Crossroads Lodges on Tuesday, 13 August, 2019 organised by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), expressed happiness that their members of parliament have begun to publicly engage with them to explain how some resolutions from the National Dialogue Forum were arrived at and to dispel the falsehood that had been planted by those against the Bill.
Addressing residents, Bwanamkubwa Member of Parliament, Dr. Jonas Kamima Chanda, said the National Dialogue Forum was a forum of the free minds whose agenda was not to add clarity to the constitution which posed a lot of problems in 2016 and onwards. He stated that changing any part of the Constitution is the sole mandate of National Assembly of Zambia but Government decided to further constitute the National Dialogue Forum to allow the public deliberate on the submissions made by many Zambians to the Ministry of Justice before Parliament could proceed to debate and make changes to the law.
“All members of Parliament were encouraged by the Speaker to attend the NDF. Initially, 28 UPND Members attended the Dialogue before some withdrew to only remain with 16 UPND MPs who wanted their constituents represented. Their Royal Highnesses were invited, political parties were invited, the church had enough representation and civil society organisations, including the Electoral Commission of Zambia,” said Dr. Chanda.
He said the UPND and some civil society organisations that refused to attend the dialogue merely exercised their democratic rights not to do so but they cannot now begin to claim the NDF was not all inclusive because they had an opportunity to attend and debate on equal footing. The Bwanamkubwa lawmaker encouraged residents to read for themselves what is contained in the Bill rather than get cheated.
And Copperbelt University Students Union President Emmanuel Kasonde said withdrawing the Bill to amend the Constitution is a non-starter but said those aggrieved with some provisions of the Bill have an opportunity to make their case with Members of Parliament. He said not everyone would remain agreeable to provisions of the law and argued in a democracy, it is cowardice for MPs to walk out when they disagree with provisions of some law but they must always stand up to debate and put themselves on record.
Earlier, a senior citizen from Ndola, Peter Mpande, who turned 63 called on all Zambians to never waste an opportunity to make long-lasting changes to the Constitution.
“We cannot be a nation that plays politics all the time. In the 1970s, Nkumbula tried the trick to stop the passage of the Constitution amendment Bill using the courts but it failed. The same was done in 1996 when the Zambia Democratic Congress repeated the same attempt but it all failed because our courts always treasure the doctrine of separation of powers.” Said Mr. Mpande.
YALI President, Andrew Ntewewe, also reminded the Copperbelt residents that the Constitution is a living document which can be amended at any time so long the provisions of the law is adhered to.
“There is always one political party in Zambia which has consistently remained opposed to making changes to the constitution so long as they are not the ones in the driving seat. They have vowed to oppose every amendment but are promising that only them can deliver a perfect constitution. There is no perfect Constitution in the world,” said Ntewewe.
Residents, who applauded the Bwanamkubwa lawmaker for meeting them, took turns to call on President Lungu and leaders of other political parties to encourage members of Parliament of Parliament to hold Townhall meetings with the people and listen to all views even as they attempt to amend the constitution. The residents said they would like to see the current process yield results and emphasised the constitution is not only about 2021 elections but governance of the country.
Only brain washed non-comps can support changes to the current Constitution which will allow unfettered further changes by the simple majority.
Welcome to the “One Party Democracy” !!!
I can only repeat wht Nelson Mandela once said. “You make peace with your enemy so that they now become your friend”. Same with this constitution. You debate and discuss with those who disagree with you so that you reach agreement and hv a constitution that both sides accept. Whose constitution is it anyway? It’s as much mine as Andrew Ntewewe’s. Hw do we make it so? By agreeing with each other. Do I hv a point?
Heard Ntewewe and Mwanza on Icengelo. They dangerously speak sweet like FTJ. UPND must he careful. PF will use these chaps to break upnd gains
Ntewewe has gone into full gear. Someone needs to stop him. Where is our team? Looks like message from Chibomba of ZUAE did no difference.
Students should be barred from participating in active politics especially as cadres. This is what confuses these young men and women, they end up forgetting their main task of studying diligently. A student should represent innocence and purity of society not making noise in the press. Minister of education please see to it that student union presidents do not go to the press to make statements such as the one the CBU union president has made. Let these young people be fully engaged in school work nothing else. This whole amendment excercise is hocus pocus by the way. Intent never makes a sound but the writing is on the wall. Thank you.
These are mere cadres like christians for lungu. They less care about the future of the nation.
i have spoken.
These foooools dont even know the ramifications of what especially when PF is in opposition.
More machinations by PF to push this devilish agenda to keep Lungu in power.
Ba PF if you are not careful God will start striking some if you with chronic sicknesses and death. Then we will see how you will enjoy your ill gotten money. I am not wishing ill on anyone. But am just giving you a warning. Read the bible and through the world’s history and you will learn something
Allow Parliament to deliberate.
All those against the works of Parliament at this point, on such an important undertaking are either too few and too late or have misplaced priorities.
The process is in full gear.
Some opponents allowed it to spread roots; only the TCMB fully categorically said no.
At this point only Parliament can have the munition to shoot it down. In Other Parliaments or the likes world over, members work to convince those across the isle to change their minds on issues. Walkouts will walk and if the quorum will be anything to go by, Parley will decide.
Who is Chibomba? Those opposed to certain clauses should go to the committee stage and present their grievances. Chashupa shani. The same useful *****s shunned the NDF.
I heard their was free lunch and transport
They are those foooools who attended the NDF like hungry Tayali
Last I checked the majority of people on the Copperbelt are dull, for constitution matters they will agree with whatever their MPs say.
They think they are clever when in fact they are fools. They think being from copperbelt is anything special. It is not.
Typical of a UPND cadre,am sure your brain is divided in regions,as such your will always generalise issues,mind you,you need votes from CB to get your much desired plot,do not insult everybody,Ba LT BLOCK SUCH bloggers when they post rubbish,don’t be one sided.
Kopala is finally getting truth and not propaganda. Salute MP Chanda for being bold to meet residents and explain. This how it should be
which truth that is just propaganda and dont think that chada thing is a factor
Meeting residents at Crossroads Lodge??!!! How many “residents” did he meet?
I agree with you.
The constitutional amendment process earnestly lack civil education. Empty talk is clear even from comments here.
I get it, most empty tins are making baseless insinuations and are pushing the the narrative that this amendment is poised to favor POTROZ ECL and help him stay on in power. This is huge misinformation in the magnitude of the likes surrounding the previous referendum vis Human Rights in 2016 polls. Misinformation characterised the exercise.
Nothing different here, misinformed goons have gone on rampage making the case that there is nothing wrong with the current Constitution.
Enemies of progress. Some lacuna infected clauses in the Constitution confused even the Judges in the Concourt. They confused ECL, his judges, the AG, double h and his lawyers…
… For starters double h didn’t even know where to start from let alone what to do.
Like I said, issues of constitutional amendment in Zambia vis amendment process will continue to haunt us. Whether Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) or Constituency Assemby or National Constitutional Conference (NCC) or The National Dialogue Forum (NDF) there is suspicion and mistrust. Too much bickering. Talk and Talk. Government gotta govern. We gotta rock n’ roll, twalibelela.
@thorn in the flesh, It’s like you can’t believe it that you had the chance to step into a classroom and learn civics huh? Educate us dude. So what’s the civics word for failed regime? hahaha.
Copperbelt has become so dull all of a sudden… Free lunch and transport and a lack of morals I guess.
Utubantu tutatu ati packed… fake reporting.. who do you think are fooling? Im surprised by some of the comments attacking copperbelt residents when there were clearly non in that small, paid , fake gathering in the meeting room of a tiny lodge
UPND bused cadres to Southern Sun Forum and gave lunch allowance. LAZ had food at Intercontinental forum. Now we hear Copperbelt too. Why give people free lunch and transport?
Ba Kopala, did your MPs tell you they need your support to pass the Constitution? Hell no. MPs dont need anyone’s consent to pass laws. Mwaiumfwila.
Democracy is just but a problem. No one should have been allowed to attend that forum and next time, we shall follow that ka Ntewewe and stop him from addressing people!
Bunch of dummies. All this just to give this whole amendment process a veneer of respectability.
We have too many *****s with voters cards. No wonder Lungu always win and will win in 2021
Zambia must have a Constitution Week for citizens to discuss & understand importance of constitution. We seem only to have 1 season for discussing Constitution and after amendments we forget. Also, most of these forums like 1 in CB and Lusaka Southern Sun dont ve organisers get balanced speakers only 1 sided.
All NGOs in Zambia re politically compromised. Laura, Ntewewe, Chipenzi etc. Lawyers ve joined
fake reporting…. two people attend this small gathering, in a small meeting room at a tiny lodge.. ati copperbelt people support lol !!! those few faces are not kopala types at all. Im surprised by some comments castigating CB as if they even attended that meeting for 2 people. CB dont have time for such.
Some of these !diots just need to be paraded and whipped.
The Amendment Bill No.10 of 2019 is now properly b4 Concourt and is therefore Subjudice. Let the Respondents now present their Heads of Arguments in Court. The crust of the matter is the legality and Constitutionality of Bill No.10 of 2019. The Speaker of Parliament can choose to ignore the Concourt Petition but will be in contempt of Court and will be contradicting his stance on the Lungu Impeachment Bill. Time will tell.
Poverty has got no heroes
It all boils down to an incompetent opposition who don’t understand their role. Constitutional matters are NATIONAL matters and not partisan matters. It is the duty of mps to represent the people who put them in parliament by attending such fundamental national matters.
“… it is cowardice for MPs to walk out when they disagree with provisions of some law but they must always stand up to debate and put themselves on record…”
“… They have vowed to oppose every amendment but are promising that only them can deliver a perfect constitution. There is no perfect Constitution in the world..”
Upnd are lying to their supporters and are too dangerous to be trusted with power. Would they allow divergent views if only they can be perfect?? Ask Dr. Canicious Banda who dared to think differently…
In Zambia everybody smokes weed. Ones who smoke more are NGO leaders like Ntewewe, Chipenzi, Laura etc. We need to legalise weed. Now no one knows what Copperbelt supports. Chipenzi own version! Ntewewe own version! Give us a break. Let MPs whom we elected decide.
Fully Packed ..some things a really laughable anyway ntewewe has to eat not so ?
Now we getting different voices. Was too much of propaganda from Chipenzi
i was there these were picked from streets and promised lunch . they didnt even know what was going on or even understand the subject, nothing, this is zambia you may think it is still zambia. finished zambia.
What you are saying my brother could be true,the people from the audience according to the posted pictutes appear to be confused,lost and ignorant about what topic Ntewewe and the Bwana Mkubwa M.P were teaching them concerning the constitution amendment bill.Those laymen who were picked from the streets of Kitwe,Ndola and Luanshya are ignorant street adults who don’t even know the animal called CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BILL verses the NDF.They even don’t know that the disadvantage of this AMENDMENT BILL is trying drive us back to the ONE PARTY PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY which we refused in 1991.Zambians open eyes and hears ooo.
Those who kill by the sword die by the same sword. “You can fool some people sometimes, you can’t fool all the people all the time”
@Misepelo
“PF will use these chaps to break UPND gains”.
What gains? Gains or chains!
UPND is an autocratic (no conventions) and broken club.
99.9999% of these brainless individuals are PF supporters.
This was not a ‘Copperbelt residents forum’, but a PF propaganda gathering. It’s astonishing that they can even state that there is nothing wrong in changing the Constitution all the time. Some people boycotted the NDF as soon as they realised it was orchestrated for PF’s interests, including how they hand picked some of the attendees, who in collusion with PF MPs present, would ride roughshod over everyone else regardless.
PF cannot survive in opposition, the party would be dead as soon as they lose power.