Stakeholders have continued to make submissions on the Bill to amend the Constitution of Zambia as the Parliamentary Committee scrutinizing the Bill turned away the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC)
Centre for Young Leaders in Africa (CYLA) led United Party for National Development (UPND) in Mumbwa Jones Malunga a and Green Party Secretary General Daniel Sichilongo were grilled by both UPND and Patriotic Front (PF) and members of parliament over their support for a provision providing for coalition government.
But Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) President Andrew Ntewewe has defended the proposal for the formation of coalition government by referring the Committee to another Report of Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs chaired by UPND Choma Central Member of Parliament, Mr. Cornelius Mweetwa in which stakeholders had proposed the formation of the coalition government and the mixed member representation system, among others.
Meanwhile, the Zambia National Students Union (ZANASU) rejected the provision to reintroduce deputy ministers on the basis Government has no money to pay for deputy minister. ZANASU President Misheck Kakonde wondered where the money would come from since Government has repeatedly indicated it had no money to pay meal allowances to students from public universities and extend education loan scheme to private universities.
The majority of stakeholders have made submissions have overwhelmingly supported the retention of the Christian Nation clause in the preamble by deletion of the words, “multi religious” and introduction the mixed member electoral proportional representation system.
Other provisions which have been supported include the increase in the number of days for hearing and determining the election petition from 14 days to 30 days, the existence of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts as two separate courts, the election of mayors from among councillors, deletion of too much detail such as commissions from the Constitution and readmission of members of parliament into councils.
There has, however, been mixed feelings over entrenchment of Christian values in the Constitution, proroguing of the National Assembly as opposed to dissolution.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Committee on Friday turned away NGOCC representatives who copied the submissions by TI Zambia, word for word. Reacting to the news, ZANASU Vice President, Steven Kanyakula, has advised civil society organisation leaders to end the collusion where institutions submit multiple but similar thoughts in different jackets.
Mr. Kanyakula observed that multiple submissions are a deception which has reduced the reform process to an activity of same stakeholders and elites as Parliament is not given an opportunity to hear from institutions that provide independent and original minds of their own.
Early last year in 2018, we told the PF government to redirect resources towards mitigating the effects of what we knew would be a bad rainy season in some parts of the country.
If we were in Government, we would have:
1. Negotiated with other countries for power importation under the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) arrangement way in advance. As per PF they are now fire-fighting and starting negotiations with South Africa to import the deficit now.
So UPND MPs are still part of this process? And their councillors too? So they will get money in allowances and cheat Zambians again???? So Mweetwa report is source of coalition govt? SMH
UPND cadres have now realised that Akainde the Emperor is walking naked.
2021 will come as a big shock for (HH).
We agree with LAZ, Churches, NGOS, Legal Associations, TIZ, NGOCC etc that Bill No. 10 is no good and should be withdrawn from Parliament in its entirety. The Bill is a vehicle to mutilate the Current Zambian Constitution and rig the 2021 Election. The Bill aims to destroy our Constitutional Democracy and entrench Lungu and PF Dictatorship. This Bill must be rejected at all costs.#Stop the Notorious Bill 10.
Those against Christan Nation and values are homosexuals and lesbians!
You think it really bothers a gay person whether Zambia is a Christian nation or not?
What is American Constitution doing in Zambian parliament?? Why copy that document written 200 years ago?
Five people gather and call themselves stakeholders.
Who cares what gays and lesbians think? Their act is immoral. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? There was a reason why Jehovah God created a man and woman just like he created a male and female in all species. You ever seen a male lion humping a male lion? They’re just bigots with the lust to satisfy their inhumane desires period. They will answer before God when their time comes.
The Select Committee is their to receive Submissions and not to choose which Submissions they want and don’t want. If the Submission by TIZ and NGOCC are the same what is the issue? Is the Select Committee an Examination Board to check whether or not a Submission is plagiarized? TIZ and NGOCC Submissions are rejecting the Bill and recommending that the Bill be withdrawn from Parliament. PF Cadres like Nakacinda and Turwa Ngulube were appointed to the Select Committee by Matibini another PF Cadre to undermine the 2/3 Majority Vote. We know that LAZ, Opposition Parties, Good Governance and Human Rights Associations, NGOS, Churches etc have rejected the Bill in its entirety. Most Zambian have rejected this Notorious Bill. To check this Govt should carry out a Referendum which they know they…
Is this Constitution for LAZ, NGOs or 2 to 3 vocal church mother bodies? Kudos to UPND MPs and its people who still contributing to process. Democracy is about competing ideas and not for cowards
UPND HAKAINDE and its supporting NGOs ve rejected the Constitution, don’t say the people. U have not consulted us whether we rejected it or not
Women are losing a fight they had been making due to populist ngo politics. We lose this Bill, we must never resurrect this process again in 25 years. Then we hear nonsense ati no women are not represented in Parliament. Those cries should remain in 2019!
The Speaker of Parliament Partrick Matibini is a well known PF Cadre. He appoints a Select Committee chaired by Nakachinda who is a PF nominated MP and Twutwa Ngulube the Vocal Member of the Committee is a PF MP and Cadre. So obviously this is a PF Selective Committee to spearhead the Approval of Bill No.10. It’s all a PF Circus
To me, appear groups opposed to this process are mostly led by Tongas….
Tribal f00I!
I knew this coalition govt thing has some links to UPND. Didnt just fall from heaven at NDF to discuss. Remember Sakwiba said UPND MPs who stayed away asking members what to debate?
Let’s just say, even if UPND were elected to power, we would not have all political parties and NGOs agree on Constitution. Same NGOs stayed away in 2015/6 from parliament process at Parliament and same NGOs gave us current Constitution. So they will always be those who have decided they will perpetually stay away and those who said they will ve own voices heard. Sad for NGOCC. Missing an opportunity to get what is right for women
So long as donors want to find mechanism to control state, NGOs will never speak be true voices of people. Make this last process on Constitution. All money channel it to health, education, poverty alleviation and HIV/AIDS
Zambia’s biggest problem is not having a Constitution but wanting every detail in Constitution. Street vending, ending prositutution, early marriages, Constitution! Eish
Could it be that I was reading without my glasses on? Which UPND is making submissions?
Why are you making submissions when you were ignored.
The whole Amendment Bill and it’s processes stinks and must be rejected and withdrawn from Parliament. LAZ, Opposition Political Parties, International and Domestic Legal Associations, Churches, NGOS etc have spoken. PF’s schemes to mutilate the Constitution and rig 2021 Elections have been exposed. If the PF Speaker of Parliament illegally tables the Bill for a 2/3 Majority Vote we urge all Progressive MPs to vote against this Notorious Bill.
When God created women, he brought lots of problems in this world. We gat too many Eve-like NGOs now. Women and money, awe sure. Why should NGOCC embarass itself over money issues?
This serves NGOCC right! No better definition of prostitution than what they re doing. B4 NDF, they were with Chipenzi et others but no Chipenzi had no money, they went to NDF. That woman gave a moving speech at close of NDF. Now NDF is dissolved, they run to TIZAMBIA. What kind of prostitution is this?
Self inflicted pains by women who use pants to think than brain. u were better staying off from NDF like yo friends did than give us drama all coz of the love of donor funds. Banenu balefwa na same position not this drama women giving us
Please forgive them, its the works of the devil
As youth, let’s be very careful with these politician bcoz this amendment thing it’s for us the youth and the new generation to come. So, let’s be real with such issues. Those in the firing range must not concentrate in making their pockets full as soon that will diminish within seconds. So, add value to this issue!!!!!
“Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch reveals the two rules he tells his law clerks to follow | Fox News”
“I tell my law clerks I have two rules — only two rules — if you follow them, you’re going to be just fine,” he said. “Rule number one: Don’t make it up — follow the law. Rule number two: when everybody else around you is yelling at you, asking you to make it up and condemning you for not making it up, refer to rule number one.”
Clerks are primarily responsible for reviewing the trial record, researching the applicable law, and drafting legal memoranda and court opinions.
IS UPND TRYING TO PUT ITS TAIL BETWEEN IT’S LEGS NOW? THESE ARE SIMPLE AMENDMENTS WHICH PEOPLE SHOULD DEBATE AMICABLY. GIVE US COMPELLING REASONS WHY WE SHOULD REJECT OR ACCEPT THIS OR THAT AMENDMENT. INSTEAD OF THIS “TONGA-KNOWS-IT-ALL” ATTITUDE. IN A DEMOCRACY NOT EVERYONE WILL ACCEPT YOUR POSITION. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD BOYCOTT THE WHOLE PROCESS BECAUSE YOUR OPINION WAS REJECTED. IT SIMPLY MEANS YOU FAILED TO GIVE CONVINCING REASONS TO YOUR COLLEAGUES. YOU CAN EVEN AGREE TO DISAGREE, BUT RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE’S OPINIONS AND LET THE MAJORITY CARY THE DAY.
Constitution Day Event: Political Polarization and Constitutional Interpretation