Government has advised the Patriotic Front (PF) leadership to stop issuing derogatory remarks over the released draft constitution because it was not party of the process.
Chief Government Spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha said PF was making unsubstantiated criticisms about the draft constitution because it was ashamed that the process has now gone to the people to make submissions.
Lt. Gen.l Shikapwasha told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka on Thursday that the PF was now trying to cover its shame by issuing negative statements on the National Constitution Conference (NCC) because of the progress that has been made.
He said PF has no rights to comment on the draft constitution because it boycotted the constitution making process when the opposition political party was invited.
Lt. Gen. Shakapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister, said NCC had done a commendable job by giving the draft constitution to people to make their submissions.
He has since advised the people not to be distracted by political parties like the PF but ensure that the country had a good constitution.
The minister said people should be positive of government programmes because this was the only way the country could develop.
[pullquote]“Mr. Sata and the PF remarks should be dispelled with the contempt they deserve. They cannot be fooling Zambians on the NCC. When the late president invited them they agreed then boycotted for whatever reason so why comment on the process now. My advice is for people not to be swayed by such people” Lt. Gen Shakapwasha said.[/pullquote]
Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said people should not forget that the PF was the first group to boycott the constitution making process when the late president Mwanawasa established the NCC and wondered why they were now making comments.
“Mr. Sata and the PF remarks should be dispelled with the contempt they deserve. They cannot be fooling Zambians on the NCC. When the late president invited them they agreed then boycotted for whatever reason so why comment on the process now. My advice is for people not to be swayed by such people” Lt. Gen Shakapwasha said.
The PF have been quoted by one of the radio stations as saying that the NCC has rushed to release the draft document to the public to justify the huge expenditures it has incurred during its deliberations.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha has also advised the UPND not to issue negatives comments on the draft constitutions because they were part of the process.
UPND spokesperson, Charles Kakoma told ZANIS that his party was concerned about the timing of the launch of the draft constitution.
Mr. Kakoma said the NCC was behind schedule because it was expected to release the draft constitution by June 1, this year.
He also expressed concern that the country was unlikely to have a new constitution and one that will stand a test of time because many clauses like like the 50 plus one were rejected.
Mr. Kakoma has meanwhile disclosed that the party has send seculars to its organs on how to make submissions to the draft constitution.
He said among the submissions was that a presidential candidate should have a running mate, coalition government and having an independent elections body composed of all political parties.
The NCC has released the Initial Report of the Draft Constitution to the public and the public are supposed to make contributions for a period of 40 days.
[ ZANIS ]
UPND seem to be standing on the fence on this one. Seems to me that they are not fully behind the PF stance but dont want to be seen to be in agreement with the govt. Interesting!
On “The PF have been quoted by one of the radio stations as saying that the NCC has rushed to release the draft document to the public to justify the huge expenditures it has incurred during its deliberations,” the PF and its unelected leader MC Sata have just realised that Mr Sata MC will not be allowed to stand for Zambian President in the 2011 elections since Mr Sata MC does not have a university degree that NCC recommended as requirement to be President or even Vice-President of Zambia.
As for UPND’s “Mr. Kakoma said the NCC was behind schedule because it was expected to release the draft constitution by June 1, this year,” the mighty UPND Group are showing signs of jubilation that PF will have to look for someone to be HH’s Vice President apart from Sata MC…
“Mr. Kakoma said the NCC was behind schedule because it was expected to release the draft constitution by June 1, this year,” the mighty UPND Group are showing signs of jubilation that PF will have to look for someone to be HH’s Vice President apart from Sata MC.
On “Mr. Kakoma has meanwhile disclosed that the party has send seculars to its organs on how to make submissions to the draft constitution… among the submissions was that a presidential candidate should have a running mate, coalition government and having an independent elections body composed of all political parties,” this is another testimony that UPND is in full support of President RB Banda MMD Administration over the enactment of a new Zambian Constitution before 2011 elections.
B…
Ghana !!!!!! Ghana !!!!! :d/:d/:d/:d/:d/:d/:d/
This man says PF shouldnt comment coz they refused to take part in this NCC comedy,then he turns around and says the UPND shouldnt issue any statements not in support coz they partcipated,can somebody break it down 4 plse!!!!
# 1.
Trying explaining to some of us why MMD is not comfortable with 51 plus clause.The Chief himself tried the other day but got lost in the process.
As for “He [Mr UPND’s Hon Charles Kakoma] also expressed concern that the country was unlikely to have a new constitution and one that will stand a test of time because many clauses like like the 50 plus one were rejected,” the President RB Banda MMD Administration still has an opportunity to break the PF-UPND PACT by having the NCC Draft Constitution enacted into a new Republic of Zambia Constitution that will bar Mr PF/Sata MC from being President or Vice-President of Zambia, a thing that may make Bemba speaking people to feel cheated in the PACT and force them not to support the leadership of possible President HH and whoever PF can choose to be HH’s Vice-President — possibly UTH’s Dr Kaseba, the university degree holding Mrs PF/Sata MC.
Be blessed all.
_
Matt…
Shikapwasha said,
1. PF has no rights to comment on the draft constitution because it boycotted the constitution making process when the opposition political party was invited.
2. The UPND not to issue negatives comments on the draft constitutions because they were part of the process.
It’s the situation of “Heads I win, Tails you lose.”
The BIG question is, “How will the government use the submissions by the people they would like to comment on this draft constitution?”
Will they allow for further NCC sittings to debate new information?
The PF under the leadership of their unelected president MC Sata will continue to be a bunch of jokers and embarassment to the nation. They are shameless opportunists who will continue shifting positions on important national issues all because their leader is not a democrat and will never be one. He expelled his 22 MPs for taking part in the NCC and decided to boycott the process together with his double brother-in -law Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu’s church. Now that the nation is about to enact a new constitution, PF wants to throw spanners in the works. Shame on you PF!