Students Unions in Zambia have called on Government to consider deferring the second reading of the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Bill No. 10 of 2019 to allow the public to study the final report of the Parliamentary Committee which was considering the Bill.
Speaking on behalf of the Unions, Zambia National Students Union Vice President Steven Kanyakula said the students’ body has been interacting with members of parliament from both the opposition and ruling political parties who have indicated the Report has addressed concerns of concerns of both those have been against the Bill and those in favour of the Bill.
ZANASU calls on Government to postpone the enactment of the Bill to allow the public access to this Bill and to engage each other on the way forward.
“As we call for postponement of the tabling of this Bill, but not the withdrawal, we call on Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Patrick Matibini to immediately publish the Report of the Committee which should be used for engagement among different sides who have a problem with the current Bill. The two sides must be allowed an opportunity to see whether the Report has taken views of everyone into account.”
.
The students have further counsel Civil Society Organisations who share conflicting views to show leadership and sit down and reconcile their positions before the Bill can be enacted.
Meanwhile, the students have charged that the US Ambassador to Zambia, Daniel Foote, overreacted on the sentencing of two persons convicted of homosexuality to 15 years in prison
“This country also has stiffer penalties for drug-related crimes and many are serving these sentences. What the Ambassador should have noted is that all sexual offences in Zambia, including rape and defilement carry the minimum sentence of 15 years under our laws and the practice of homosexuality should not be different unless we as Zambians decided to amend our laws,” said Mr Kanyakula.
The students have charged that 99 percent of Zambians are averse to the practice of homosexuality because of the strong family values, religious beliefs, cultural and traditional norms accepted by the Zambia society and the USA should respect the laws of Zambia just as Zambian citizens in the US must respect the laws of that country.
“We believe that just as Zambia has no right to impose its values or manner of doing things on the USA, the USA has no justification to do so. Zambia and the United States of America must continue to enjoy good relations based on mutual respect for each other’s values, rules and laws,” he charged.
You’re joking students, these guys have stolen, They have plundered, they have misappropriated peoples money, they have corruptly obtained contracts and payments, and you think they will give up power to become wives in jail? No chance. Go back and just study
Thanks
Students make more sense than most NGOs and lawyers put together. Balanced view
Best solution is USA, EU cuts aid so that these baboons jumping around can see the reality.
Very well said TheEngineer! Yesterday we were receiving aid from Ireland who’s Pm is married to a bloke god forbid. Why are we not sending all the Irish away from our country but are happy to receive money from them. Why why please lets stop. Pf is just hurt he expressed his displeasure to there evident theft of funds from every institution.
Thanks
Steven Kanyakula should not be surprised when his VISA to go to the USA for advanced studies is denied.
There is no need to defer the debate on Bill 10. However to enable MPs debate Bill 10 they should be furnished with a Report by the Select Parliamentary Committee. Most Submissions to the Select Committee were not in favour of the entire Bill. That Report should be distributed MPs so that they can effectively debate and vote on the Bill. A SWOT on Bill 10 is necessary b4 debate and vote on the Bill. We have to hear the Rationale behind the drafting of this Bill 10 and its Justification.
If I was HH, I would listen to students than NGOS
If only NGOS were this objective and sober minded, we could ve made progress
Stop bill 10 in its entirety….no postponement.
A bad bill is a bad bill and nothing else.
No need for any discussion.
Don’t follow HH on this, he has not read the bill and neither have you!
Time wasters….let’s move on…!!! Concentrate on your academics…!!!
“As we call for postponement of the tabling of this Bill, but not the withdrawal, we call on Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Patrick Matibini to immediately publish the Report of the Committee which should be used for engagement among different sides who have a problem with the current Bill. The two sides must be allowed an opportunity to see whether the Report has taken views of everyone into account.”
These students have showed more common sense than all our MPs, LAZ and NGOs.
Please don’t put PF mps on that list….
When certain individuals and organisations feel they are above many Zambians, this is usually the case. Some sections of our society felt they are bigger than our laws and tried to stop a bill that was properly put together. They wanted to undermine ECL and prove to their funders that they can control the course of this nation. From the political party SGs meeting in Kariba to the parliamentary committees, everyone was given a chance to air their grievances. Apa manje, ni faka speedee… Too late boys and girls…
LAZ and Chapter One have done their part and now its up to our MPs to save the Nation from an impending Disaster and Dictatorship. There is no need to defer the Bill. Its now up to the MPs to display their Patriotic Duty by voting against this Notorious Bill 10. Failure to do so means the Zambia Economy will suffer and the MPs will be victims of Persecution from the New Dictatorship. The writing is on the Wall for MPs.
OK, let me break it down for you: upnd has 56 mps. PF has 84, 12 independents who are PF members, 4 MMD mps who work with PF, how is your idea achievable??? Will mukuni sleep in a grave for 6 months and bewitch the PF mps to shoot it down???
NGOs in Zambia must be outlawed. Students make sense than NGOS
Problem with UPND is that they naturally not progressive. I can’t vote for PF but can’t vote for a party that doesn’t know how to get best out of worst bill
Students sound more reasonable than some gay sponsored NGOs. This is a balance approach to the issue.
This is constructive engagement by students. No taking sides but striking real issues. Like your objective stance on US ambassador
“The idiom “the straw that broke the camel’s back”, alluding to the proverb “it is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back”, describes the seemingly minor or routine action that causes an unpredictably large and sudden reaction, because of the cumulative effect of small actions.”- Wikipedia
Ambassador Daniel Foote’s testimony incriminated tendency and implications to current PF administration.
“Gladwell uses the 1990 crash of Colombian airliner Avianca, Flight 052. In this crash, the copilot was very passive and used a lot of mitigating speech patterns to downplay his own opinions. In the end, that was dangerous because the pilot and air-traffic controllers did not take his suggestions seriously, and the crash occurred.”
To Zambian Citizern or whatever your name is. Let me put is before you.
1. The total number of PF , MMD and pro-PF MPs comes to exactly 100.
2. Total number of UPND MPs is currently at 56
3. In order for the Bill to pass it requires 2/3 majority which is 66.6%
4. If you do the math, 66.6 percent translates into 103 MPs
5. If all the UPND members of Parliament (assuming Hon Garry Nkombo who was suspended is back) voted against the Bill and all others i.e. PF and cohorts voted for the Bill, the YES will only be able to get 64%
6. If the YES will only be able to reach 64% then the BILL will fall short of the threshhold by a percentage rate of 2.6%
7. If all the UPND MPs turn up and vote on NO they will then succeed in blocking the Bill from succeeding after Second Reading and Bill…
Ambassador Foote’s biggest problem is not corruption nor gay conviction. Biggest problems he is is President Lungu not meeting him because he feels he has $500 million to himself for Zambia. He forgets ambassadors are at a level of PS or Deputy Minister in other countries. He is even lucky President met him 5 times. Him is complaining that he has met him 5 times, how many times have u met him ba ZANASU
Twaambo, badala you really followed Bwana Foote’s complaints additionally, I strongly feel that he feels USA contributes the most to the Zambian bow, and therefore must be given all the accord he needs.
Ambassadors represent their respective Heads of State – that is why they are His/Her Excellencies. Do not put them at PS level. If Ambassador Foote superintends on over $500 million in an economy (anywhere in the world) – you should accord him a different level of respect compared with one who does not, irrespective of Mr. Foote’s shortcomings. It is very disrespectful for him to complain that he is not able to meet with the President when the President has all the time for the Sikazwes, Chitotelas, Chilufyas, and Zulus of this world and the economy is on life-support.
@4.2 Sorry ….disrespectful TO him……
Just publish the version of Bill 10 in the Press so that we have an idea of what everybody is talking about! Different people seem to have different versions of what they are calling Bill 10. Let the contents of the Bill be made known for the public to appreciate whether this was a Refinement or a Wholesale Amendment or a PF Chigololo on our constitution! To those opposition and independent MPs who were at Government House last night with bo ma inonge, get whatever they have offered you but remember to do the right thing by voting against a confused mix of a Bill! Should this Bill be allowed to go through, then we are finished!
Ba Kanyakula has spoken sense….
PLEASE READ THE CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT BILL ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE FOR YOURSELF INSTEAD OF TALKING FROM IGNORANCE. THEN TELL ME WHICH AMENDMENT IS WRONG. EVERYONE WAS INVITEDT MAKE THE DEBATES ALL-INCLUSIVE.BUT THE UPND MPS USED DECIDED TO USE THEIR HUMAN RIGHT TO ABSCOND. SO DO NOT BLAME ANYONE
********
The culture of reading in Zambia is poor that’s why even the people that have not read the bill are just following blindly. Read and understand what is contained in it and then make submissions. I was so shocked when I was listening to Hot fm how the learned Linda Kasonde seemed to not have known the contents of the bill.
Kanyakaula should just concentrate on his studies instead of dwelling into mayyers that will just confuse them. Besides, who told him that Zambia is averse to homosexuality because of strong family values, religious beliefs, cultural and traditional norms? Does he know that stealing is a primary culture in some parts of Zambia while its found to be repugnant in others? Like: “Ubomba mwibala alila mwibala” in one while in another they say “mutenda silya ki busholi”! Zambia has no common culture, the only thing we share in common is the colour of our skins, I’m a pure Southern African wholly different from some Iturian apes!
About homosexuality, people must realise that life is not all about black and while! There is a whole grey area in between these two and believe me that’s where the majority of people dwell. Look at adultery or fornication, which sexuality active man or woman out there can tell me that they have never commited at least one of these two sins? And you know how Jesus defined fornication, if you were real christians you would all be blind by now. Bu polepole bu tulile sikala mwa Zambia, too much lying, cheating, stealing and all manner of wickedness everywhere committed with impunity! And you say you are a christian nation, forsake!
It is good advise from students. However, we must know that what is driving PF into the panicking mode is their misdeeds in current government. Most are potential jailbirds as it stands. They would do anything to safeguard their freedom. The best is to encourage all opposition and independent MPs to dishonour the bill.
let not the public be in the dark .let us be well versed In this bill which is either good or bad.some of us don’t even know what it contains is it free theft,murder,sexuality ,corruption and so on.
and as for Mr Foote zambia is Christian nation and gaymarriages are not rightfully ever allowed .we can do alot mistakes but please dont misjudge us just help us wipe out the culprits who steal funds of our people and selfish elicits that goes through our minds