The Zambia National Student Union has challenged Parliament to take the task of reforming the laws seriously.
Union President Misheck Kakonde says the duty to make laws in this country is the preserve of Parliament while the Executive arm of government has a duty to provide leadership on reforms.
Mr. Kakonde has since called on the Executive to discharge its executive functions by submitting the bills to Parliament so that members of the legislature from the opposition UPND and FDD and ruling party can begin debating them while the rest of the public must come through to make submissions to a Parliamentary Committee on legal and governance.
He said the process of amending laws can no longer be delayed any further especially that three years have lapsed since the talk for reforms started.
“On the other hand, we strongly suggest that the church-led and Zambia Center for Inter Party Dialogue must harmonise, find common ground and proceed to focus on substantive issues around the implementation of the Seventh National Development Plan and how stakeholders can get fully involved in tracking the attainment of set goals as well as Vision-2030.
He has also called for national dialogue that directly affects 16 million Zambians and transcends partisan divisions and personal egos.
Mr. Kakonde has also proposed to the nation and all stakeholders that the 7NDP becomes the agenda for any national dialogue.
“In the meantime, we call on Government to continue governing by taking reforms on the constitution, electoral laws and public order Act to Parliament adding that if any substantive submissions arise from the national dialogue that could as well be passed on to the drafters for possible amendments.
He said his Organisation agree with the UN Resident Representative to Zambia, Janet Rogan who stated that “the 7NDP must be the basis for peaceful and respectful national dialogue.
“Just as it is the job of the leadership of the country to create the space for that peaceful, respectful national dialogue, it is equally the responsibility of all others to step into that space to chart the way forward peacefully and respectfully, together”, he said.
He has since asked the church mother-bodies and ZCID to quickly resolve their differences and realign its focus to matters around implementation, tracking and attainment of goals in the Seventh National Development Plan and Vision 2030.
“We also agree with suggestions from stakeholders that the Registrar of Societies must begin to evaluate all political parties to find out whether the objective of contesting elections to form government is embedded in their constitutions or in order to minimise having on-the-paper only political parties who not don’t participating in elections save for endorsing other parties’ candidates and appearing on the dialogue”, he said.
very polarized. very politicized. Debates purely on partisan lines. completely no objectivity. very irrelevant for now
Yeah true Parliament is politicised but truth be told, its only institution mandated to make laws in this country. Not the church and not ZCID. Dialogue led by whoever will not produce any law any time soon. Let’s focus on dialogue on other matters away from reforms.
I expected students to call an end to the never ending national dialogue. its no longer making any sense at all. 3 years talking of the same issues? if GRZ was seriousl and knew its mandate to govern, they woould have given direction at this point.
Parliament is full of liars
This is the worst parliament this country has ever had and it is a true legacy to PF and Sata…
Parliament has surrendered its functions to the church and ZCID just as Executive has no say no how to move sad. Such a country can only be described as on auto pilot. Eddie must up his game on reforms
The legislature dominated by present ruling party will make laws that will amend/enact laws that will perpetuate their stay in power through their majority in he house, resulting in the enactment of bad and skewed laws that will not stand the test of time. The PF members of parliament do not inspire.
Spot on Zambia National Student Union, this is what we expected from YALI and other National Associations, not partisan politics e.g. from the leader of Economic Association Zambia etc. The constitutional crisis we are facing is an indicator of a failed parliament and government. Those who are the majority should share most of the blame and posterity will surely judge you harshly.
This is great and very objective analysis guide by ZANASU across political divide. Let political parties with representation in Parliament give direction than every Jim and Jack called a political party. Some political parties are only there in name only.
Imwe close your ka country. Monse mwakangiwa. PF and UPND, totally impotent to deliver. I suggest recolonization. Please hear me out
I don’t trust the church and neither do i trust ZCID. let’s forget this dialogue nonsense.allow reforms in Parliament.
What is failing Zambia is lack of direction of this whole process. Ruling party has no strategy just as opposition has no strategy. All rely on oral pronouncements of their Number 1 leaders. But how can u succeed when u want to parade ECL,HH on the same table as the many Muliokelas who call themselves party presidents too?
Solution to this dialogue rests with Edgar Lungu to show leadership on how it must move forward, Hakainde Hichilema rubbing from his mind that dialogue is to discuss his failed petition or incarceration and smaller parties leaving the table as they are just noise makers.
I agree with ZANASU though that Parliament and Executive have a duty to do. Trump shutdown is over not because of dialogue facilitated by unelected persons in name of bishops but because politicians with mandate to govern talk to each other.
Whether church lead this dialogue or ZCID OR both, nothing will come out. Church just wants some relevance. let’s close this dialogue and focus on 2021 campaigns.
Students ve oways played crucial part in agenda setting and standing up 4 democratic ideals. Glad zanasu is doing just that at time when CSO is politically aligned and literally dead. We need yo voices students, don’t relent and one day when history is rewritten, it will read there was time when students shaped public opinion
dialogue on 7NDP goals may be making more sense but how will it be conducted? also reason why this political dialogue on reforms has not happened is coz grz has given up part of it’s mandate to rule to the church. so no direction in th country. even doubt that govt has draft bills at all
This not a parliament but a place for defrauding the Zambian people.