The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) has cautioned the youth calling themselves Bill 10 Advocates to stop harassing Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu or any other citizen opposed to Bill 10.
In a statement released to the media by Judith Mulenga, organization Vice-Chairperson, CiSCA said that the attacks on Archibishop is a clear hindrance and interference of the exercise of his right to his opinions and expression and a gross violation of the Constitution which guarantees the Archbishop justiciable civil and political rights, including the right to his opinions without interference.
Below is the full statement
CiSCA Statement on the Bill 10 Advocates’ Attacks on Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu
Lusaka, 14 August 2020: The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) cautions the youths calling themselves Bill 10 Advocates to stop harassing Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu or any other citizen opposed to Bill 10.
During the launch of their translated Bill 10 into 7 local languages, the Bill 10 Youth Advocates singled out Archbishop Mpundu as a target of their diatribe. This is clear hindrance and interference of Archbishop Mpundu’s exercise of his right to his opinions and expression and a gross violation of the Constitution which guarantees the Archbishop justiciable civil and political rights, including the right to his opinions without interference.
Article 20 of our Bill of Rights bestows on Archbishop Mpundu, and every Zambian citizen, the right to full enjoyment of the fundamental right to freedom of expression without any hindrance or interference from anyone, be they pro or anti Bill 10 individuals or groups.
CiSCA further reminds the clearly ignorant Bill 10 Youth Advocates that the Bill of Rights under which fundamental rights sit has not been tampered with by the manipulative PF government and these rights are as intact as they were in 1996. How then do they justify pushing for the so- called improvement of the Constitution while violating its core content?
In singling out the Archbishop, the Bill 10 Advocates further violated Article 11 sub section (b) which is designed to ensure that only limitations prejudicial to the rights and freedoms of others or public interest are allowed. In speaking out against Bill 10, Archbishop Mpundu did not in any way prejudice the Bill 10 Advocates’ freedom of expression and neither did State Counsel John Sangwa. Therefore, in their pathetic clueless efforts to limit the freedom of expression of Archbishop Mpundu and those opposed to their views they are in direct violation of the Bill of Rights and our Constitution. How then can such ‘advocates’ lay any claim to furthering the tenets of democracy as per their leader, Prince Ndoyi’s assertion? The usual hypocrisy of pro Bill 10 voices was embarrassingly manifest in Ndoyi’s assertions. In one breath he advises Sangwa to seek audience with his area MP because Bill 10 is now under the MPs’ purview but in the same breath he himself is speaking on Bill 10 when he nor any of his cohorts are MPs! What lack of depth is that?
Why can’t the Bill 10 Advocates let the translated Bill 10 speak for them? In the same way they are expressing themselves through their translated copies and other platforms, the Bill 10 Advocates must respect other citizens’ right to express themselves against Bill 10.
It is ignorance of the highest order to equate Bill 10 to a youth empowerment document. We challenge Ndoyi to unequivocally point to youth empowerment provisions in Bill 10. We know there are none! We advise Ndoyi and his cohort to just enjoy the change from the translation and printing costs. The real focused youths in Zambia require real empowerment. They require support to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for today’s labour market. They require job opportunities and they require that they be part of the decision making in public structures and processes.
Judith Mulenga
CiSCA Vice Chairperson
Iwe Ka judith and your cisca can you please behave yourselves and act with some respect. The same way you believe you have the right to call out the bill 10 advocates is the same way they also have the right to call out a rifraff against it. It is called freedom of expression and speech. If you cannot handle it, then tell mpundu and all week people to stay away from such topics. Kz
Ndoyi senselessness sponsored by PF regime. Zambians and Zambia police await the arrest of Jay Jay Banda PF cadre on the run, who beat up police officers at central police HQ. PF
Matthew 16
23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
All these people that call themselves men of God and yet we never hear a word from them about the things of God. And they openly defy Gods word in Romans 13. The Bible rightly says ‘You will know them by their fruit’
Let the former Bishop behave himself if he wnats respect. He is a UPND Cadre and comes out as such.
The fact that the Archbishop went to a TV station freely and uttered his frustrations and spoke ill of other people and the Government without hindrance and interference is a clear indication of Archbishop Mpundu’s right to the exercise of his right to his opinions and expression as guaranteed in the Constitution and allowed by PF Government. What more does he want?
What he can’t do is to speak as Head of State or Government official for the people of Zambia because he has no mandate to do so, but can for the Catholic Church and merely express his opinion but within the confines of Zambian law.
Therefore he should expect other people to democratically castigate or express their opinion about him as well but again within the law. If he is against BILL 10 there are those others that are…
” CONTINUED ” for BILL 10. What the Archbishop, the CISCA and those others opposed to the BILL should understand and know is that, if they think they know it all, the upset some of us who do.
Ba CISCA hold your fire: Know that one’s Constitution Rights and Freedoms starts with him/her and ends at where another person’s Rights and Freedoms starts and you can’t go beyond.
So “MWIKALA PATALALA, MWINE APATALALIKA” so the BEMBA saying goes.
When a regime begins to be intolerant to other views then it’s guilty of dishonest
I remember how RB went for Shakas and Chibombamilimo and the latter died shortly after. It was embarrassing. Let’s learn to be tolerant, life can’t be seen in terms of winning or losing elections
TELESPHORE UP AND DOWNN CARDER MPUNDU
Mpundu as joined politics so what else does he expect from society?A goat in a sheep skin.
This Bishop can no longer speak for the Cathoilc Church. We know him as a UPND cadre and it ends there. So let him speak for Hakainde and Mwiimbu. We will meet him in the political arena and sort him out politically since he has joined politics now . We know religiously he is finished and we will not waste time on him.
@ Sungwe.
You are a FUUL (Dimwit)
Useless NGO. Is this not a democracy? Do you have a group of people who should be criticized and other groups who must not be?
fake.
These are the NGO’s that are just enjoying free money and promoting confusion!! Meanwhile can the clergy focus on preaching about love, unity and peace and desist from politics. Otherwise it makes us question his intentions considering that it’s clear that he’s pro Red. What a shame!!
Uyu tresphore is no longer a man of God he is a man of Lucifer a warmonger who wants to bring war in Zambia like his counterpart did in Rwanda. Use mpundu ICO ucitilefi nichi ta waupa ta wakwata bana inkondo nga waleta inkondo ukayafye weka nabobene ubombela Ifwekuno tukalfwaya ukuli Ababa pakuti tubutukenabo kanshi emukulolela imfwa. Now tresphore, tell the nation! Which clause in bill 10 talks about Lungu’s third term. If you can’t stop yapping the nonsense you are doing. Twanaka naiwe shetani wamuntu I we .Ifwe tatulefwaya inkondo tulefwaya peace. Remember I am exercising my constitutional rights. The right to freely express myself, just like you were doing when talking rubbish about our beloved President and the progressive bill 10. Don’t involve other Catholics in your demonic…