Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba has U-Turned on his earlier stand that the Technical Committee drafting the constitution submit their report by June 30th.
Today Mr Kabimba announced that the Technical Committee drafting the Republican Constitution will hand over the document by July 31, this year, the date requested earlier by the committee.
Mr Kabimba told Parliament in Lusaka that the Technical Committee had requested for the extension to ensure the document was completed to the satisfaction of the Zambians.
Mr Kabimba said this when he issued a ministerial statement that the extension did not call for fresh funding but that the Committee still had funds from the already budgeted for, allocation.
The confirmation comes amidst anxiety raised after Mr Kabimba had earlier demanded that the Committee completed its undertaking by the June 30, 2013, deadline.
He said the technical committee consulted him over the intentions to extend to July 31, and that the request was granted.
“Members of the public and some groups of stakeholders have in the recent week expressed anxiety about the progression of the on-going constitutional making process. We have now agreed that the Technical Committee will wind up its programme of work within the approved 2013 budgetary provision without any supplementary budget,” he said.
He said the Committee, would work expeditiously with the drafting team to ensure the process was wound-up within a reasonable period.
He said the drafting exercise was being funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the auspices of the technical committee.
He reiterated Government’s commitment towards ensuring a people-driven Constitution.
He said that the Ministry of Justice was not part of the technical committee as was the case during the MMD administration, because this would compromise the process.
He also informed the House that the Constitution making promise could not be completed within 90 days as promised because the technical committee drafting the Republic document requested to engage in wide consultations with the populous.
He said it was not the intention of Government to dictate the pace of the review process to avoid accusations of manipulating the process.
“At the risk of repeating myself, I wish to stress that although we as Patriotic Front believed that the Constitution could be delivered within 90 days, we left the entire process to the Technical Committee to draw their programme.
“There is no doubt Mr Speaker, that had we insisted or prevailed on the Technical Committee to draft the Constitution within 90 days, the other stakeholders would have been the first to accuse us of attempting to manipulate the process,” he said.
He said the Government wanted to be fair in undertaking the process by ensuring the process was not only people driven but was seen to be people-driven without political interference.
That’s PF for you. No consistency. That erodes trust. I personally don’t like people who issue comments before establishing facts. What has made him change today?
Typical of PF!!!!… someone please advise redlips kabimba that ARVs plus Gin & tonic is a bad mix for him
@Ndobo, you sound like Ng’anga. “Icho ni nkwishiba no muti ndekulanga..”
Winter eating a humble pie. The. Biggest problem with pf don’t think before saying something. Pf will promise things that any normal person will not promise coz its not attainable.
Winter is the dullest lawyer I have seen he behaves like an illiterate cadre. Winter your hour Of reckoning is near. You have no where to run to.
Whether new constitutional or the current one is ,will the Pf uphold it?so far Pf has shown that they don’t abide by it.its animal farm.
Exactly my problem.They have been involved in so many constitutional breaches that it is only the incompetence of the opposition that has saved them from impeachment
PF is not constitution driven, but run on emotions and intuitions. Hence the constitution developed will be for future use.
Typical of Wynter. Not surprised. Would have been surprise if he didn’t U turn.
That’s my EXTREMELY DULL Justice Minister for you!!
Any government or organisational leaders who work to deadlines are worthy trusting with one’s business. One of the serious issues in Zambia for many years now has been running without deadlines or specific dates.
There has been too much this or that is not ready, this one or that one is away today, come back tomorrow. The next day one turns up, there is yet another excuse, and what should one do? Come back tomorrow.
As with most things, tomorrow eventually grows old and becomes a year, with a very simple five minutes job or decision not done or reached. The attitude and approach has very much been like that taken by some parents who promise a sweet to a child to stop a child from crying. The parent returns home. What about the sweet promised to the child? Mailo (tomorrow)!
No development can be realized with this kind of attitude.
There is a reason why there is day and night, there is a reason why there are days, weeks, months and years.
Time is very important; and people must learn to do things in time. People cannot be made to wait for something important for their lifetime.
Another point is this, any government or organisation that listens to reasonable requests and changes its earlier decision in the interest of progress is worthy commendation; and no honest person will condemn such an action called “U-Turn”.
A good decision is a good decision no matter how late it might be. The Techy people on the Constitution making process in Zed asked for an extension, other interested parties asked government to consider this. That has now been…
U TURN INDEED. LEARN TO BE CONSISTENT OR WE SHALL REMAIN TO DOUBT YOU.
What did those who are criticizing government for this decision want? Let us be honest. Were they relishing a stand off and a possible impasse, and a possible ensuing confusion?
This decision is good for democracy, development and for co-existence. One can trust a government that listens when asked to make a reasonable change.
Long live Zambia, God bless Zambia.
I am really amazed at a lot of contributors on this blog! They just aim to criticize government or on the extreme side, just praise government no matter what. No constructive criticism. If Mr. Kabimba had agreed with the extension when it was initially requested, I can bet, the same critics of this decision would have been criticizing the move as a waste of resources!
You just have to wonder if people realize what it takes for democracy to work. You have put it very well, this decision is very good for democracy. It is a reasonable change.
Intellectually challenged people like Sata, Kabimba, and Mmembe have always mistaken arrogance, pig headedness and stubbornness for logic. They are a waste of space!
the committee asked for extra 6 months, th gvt refused. NGO’s and hh asked the gvt to give them time so that it is finished. i think th gvt needs to listen when others speak
something is wrong with this dude!
@Ndobo and yo minions are sick indeed. Even in opposing there must be sincererity. lf the govt did not listen u would have barked like mad dogs. What are the principles of democracy u educated crooks?ls listening one of them ?Demagogues! Grow up!
Personally, I am not a fan of the minister of Justice WK. However, in this instance, WK is right in having taken the decision to extend the constitution making process up to July month-end. Most Zambians were actually worried about government receiving an unfinished constitution draft from the constitution committee on their desk. That would have dashed the Zambian people’s hopes of embracing a comprehensive constitution ever.
Therefore, the bloggers should realise that this must have taken Mr WK a lot of sleepless nights and compromise to change his decision. We should hail Mr WK for having extended the process for another month for the good of the country. Well done honourable WK, sir. Give praises where they are due, people!
I have never heard winter winning a case as a lawyer,that just shows you how dull he is.