Former Republican Vice President Nevers Mumba has welcomed President Hakainde Hichilema’s pronouncement that the Government intends to embark on a constitution reform process to iron out lacunas.
Dr Mumba said constitutional reform processes need to take place from time to time.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka, Dr Mumba said a constitution should be work in progress because of the various lacunas in the national document.
Dr Mumba also commended President Hichilema for calling for a less costly constitution making process which will be done without people receiving hefty allowances.
“The President gave an example that some people do not know that there is a lacuna that can make a President stay in office for eight years without an election and you would take it to a constitutional court and the President would win the case so we need to tighten up these issues,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Mumba urged the Government to prepare for the worst despite meteorological reports suggesting that the country will have rainfall in the forthcoming rainy season.
He said experiences from the drought Zambia suffered last season should ensure that stakeholders are necessarily equipped for any eventuality.
And Dr. Mumba said the President spoke positively on the Government’s interventions regarding the drought.
He however, said concerted efforts are needed from different stakeholders saying the drought which has caused the energy crisis in the country is not a problem only for Government but the rest of the citizenry.
“Let us all embrace this challenge as a Zambian challenge and work together regardless of who you are to solve this problem.
If you think you will continue eating with him with his mingalato, you will be disappointed. Zambians are not foolish!
I would want to know which part of our constitution the President quotes as a lacuna that can cause a president to stay in power for 8 years without an election. I wish the president had quoted the actual wording of that lacuna in the constitution than just throwing out a statement like that. Even the reporter of this article or our journalists you would expect them to follow up and research which part of the constitution the president is quoting. I wonder how come no previous president and all lawyers have ever noticed this lacuna.
New word HH brought from China is LACUNA.
He told you that he didn’t spend a week in China for nothing.
Teach Zambians a word, and the suckers will forget about sweeping streets in darkness.
Talk has been circulating that the Upnd wants to extend the period to seven years. They have been denying but now those rumours are appearing to be true. This is not good for our country. People trusted the Upnd, but it appears they being betrayed.
Iwe ka Praise Singer ka Nevers Mumba, state the constitutional clause with a “lacuna that can make a President stay in office for eight years without an election”. Don’t just support rubbish because you are getting some cash and that Toyota GX from Kainde. Shame on you.
What a shame …
And that “lacuna” may suddenly and miraculously open after 35yrs of it being closed.
What we are saying is either agree to the reformation or you may be stuck with Bally for 8yrs. Lol.
Catch 22
That’s very true Dr Mumba it’s very unfortunately that we have danderheads who know nothing about constitutional matters & they comment any how. Your comment is a welcome to the level headed people. You’re a national reservoir of wisdom sir.
Nevers is really a disgrace to our country and the Christian fraternity. He has failed to organise the once vibrant MMD politcal party. He has held onto it like lice. Earlier he collapsed a vibrant National Christian coalition (NCC) to Join the MMD and left his members in limbo. And now he has gone into oblivion after the MMD members decided to leave him to re-organise his (MMD) political party according to his leadership style which is probably worse than that of his friend Hakainde. According to this “click” of so called “business men” in various disgusted fake skins, constitutional reforms are more urgent than the crippling economic melt down.
Some people just comment without fully reading the relevant constitutional provisions. If you read Article 52 clause 6 of the constitution, it is specified that ECZ shall cancel the election and require the filing of fresh nominations by eligible candidates and elections shall be held within 30 days of filing of the fresh nominations where a candidate dies, resigns or becomes disqualified in accordance with Article 70, 100 or 153. So what stops a planted candidate from resigning before any scheduled elections which would compel ECZ to cancel elections on several such occasions???
#Ngoma Yanzelu
WHERE DID HH DRAW HIS ASSESSMENT ON NINE YEARS IN POWER? COULDN’T HE HAVE SAID WITH A SPECIFIC REFERENCE THAN LEAVING IT OPEN-ENDED? PARLIAMENT DOES NOT ONLY DESERVE FACTS AND TRUTH BUT CLARITY TOO.
It was merely rumours. Now the president has confirmed what all this was for and about and MMD is mindlessly parroting it all. We must ignore these noise makers and focus on the signal of constitutionalising longer stay in political power than is necessary.
Bill 10 reloaded … It’s time again to do what we did before.
Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba is speaking the truth here .Let’s look at things dispassionately without political/tribal prejudice for Zambia to progress.
The current parliament have been captured by the UPND govt and does not have a mandate to make constitutional changes. With MPs being kidnapped and imprisoned on tramped up charges, how do you expect the organ to perform its intended function legitimately?