The Civil Society Constitution Coalition has commended opposition Members of Parliament stance they have taken to demand the issue of the new constitution to be addressed by government.
Opposition Members of Parliament have in the last two days disrupted Parliamentary business demanding the issue of the constitution to be addressed.
Civil Society Constitution Coalition vice Chairperson Judith Mulenga has told Qfm News in an interview that the opposition Members of Parliament need to be commended for their courage to speak out and demand for what the people want.
Ms. Mulenga says it gives hope to the coalition and the majority Zambians to see everyone getting united in demand for the new constitution.
Ms .Mulenga stressed that it is only right that President Micheal Sata releases the draft constitution because Zambians are getting tired of depressing statements over the document.
She further stated that the CSO’s will not stop demanding for a people driven constitution.
Yesterday, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini called for a closed-door meeting with representatives of backbenchers and Government to resolve differences over the constitution-making process.
This cane in the wake of disruptions of debate by backbenchers in the House for the second day yesterday. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday next week.
Dr Matibini told Parliament yesterday that the disruptions were “unprecedented” and “unfortunate”.
“It also goes without saying that in a democracy there are differences of opinion [and] one of the tenets of democracy is dialogue,” Dr Matibini said in urging the MPs to exhibit leadership.
“Both members on the left [backbenchers] and right [executive] are leaders. Zambians look up to us. So, the spirit of dialogue is key; it is absolutely essential,” Dr Matibini said.
He said this last night when Parliament resumed seating after another abrupt discontinuation earlier in the afternoon.
The Speaker was prompted to call for security to help restore order when some backbenchers attempted to walk over to the Speaker’s mace.
The Speaker then went into a meeting with Vice-President Guy Scott and chief whips.
When Parliament resumed seating, Monze Central MP Jack Mwiimbu (United Party for National Development) raised a point of order and said: “We have decided that this process be given an opportunity to reach fruition under your able guidance Mr Speaker. On Tuesday, you will call for a meeting where this impasse will be resolved for the benefit of this House and the nation.”
My Senior Learned Honourable Justice Speaker.
Our opposition MPs are only fulfilling their duties to the electorate. In 1990 a few courageous of our people then led by Arthur Wina and FTJ refused to eat from the table of oppression of KK. Not long after we FORCED KK to repeal of UNIP Article 4 which barred opposition parties. The end of supremacy of UNIP birthed multipartism in 1991 and we defeated the feared and dreaded KK.
The opposition MPs are doing what Zambians have always done; to free themselves from oppression through peaceful means. And there is no alternative for ba Sata and PF other than to give us an UNDILUTED people driven constitution. If you have doubts about our resolve ask ba KK or RB.
Opposition MPs, puruse your mandate until freedom
PF dont use Police!! To all our colleagues in uniform,this NEW constitution is yours too.It’s about your economic rights and freedoms-These Ideals we share and fighting for are your ideals too-a better constitution, a free Zambia from poverty and oppression. Time has come to defend Zambia’s posterity-enactment of a new constitution.It’s Sata who’s hijacking it and betraying own PF manifesto check page 42.Don’t defend this one person(the liar, deceiver and betrayer of our TRUST and that social contract –the promised PF manifesto),but rise to the higher moral calling-defending enactment of new constitution.To you all uniformed who don’t believe in oppression and tyranny, rise and defend this cause.It’s a revolutionary act in times of deceit!I.We demand a new constitution!!No more lies!
There comes a time in a people’s life when the demand for freedom is greater than the fear of incaceration or even death at the hands of the opprressor. In this crucible of the inborn desire for freedom, people have defied the Nazi gestapo, Saddam’s Republican Army, China’s gang of 4, Apartheid’s secret police and other brutal regimes. Same happened here in Zambia with KK.
Brothers and Sisters in parliament, God put you there for such a time as this. Stand firm. Your fight is for the people and therefore God is with you. God bless you; you are the midwives of the demand for a people driven constititution. Don’t blink until this document is delivered.
What more can one say to what has been elaborated by Democratic Legal other than asking the general public to support our opposition MPs in shaping the future of our country via the constitution. We are the true pioneers of democracy in Africa! A to Z and Z to A. The world is watching and in a true democratic way, we the people shall be victorious. Guy Scott knows a wrong or shall I say many wrongs have been done regarding the handling of the constitution. Our lives and our wellbeing and those of our children depend on this document that we have been striving 4since the 70s when some of you were not even born. Let’s join in as brothers and sisters and fight for a right to be done by us through putting pressure to the head of state to release the draft constitution. PF has lost this plot.
Where is Mushota, Saulosi and Sata… they are mourning.
Sata should just back in secret from Kishasa, and send that Kabimba in exile. Zambia is boiling….. the volcano in active
Excellent!
Whether the PF, Sata or any of his Nominated and appointed Useless Members like it or not we will get our Constitution.
We as a people are very serious about and will not beat around the bush. Whoever stands in our way will be crushed. PF Minions should either join the people (not Animals), or they risk been ignored, if they resist CRUSHED………..
PF have hijacked democracy and taken the country many years back. They have no legitimacy to rule this country because they have undermined democratic structures including the legislature(and judiciary) by getting rid of opposition MPs. We need regime change for things to normalize.
I bet Patrick Matibini will go down in history as the shortest serving Speaker of the National Assembly in Zambia.
Though learned the guy seems to have his own agenda to push and not that of the Country.
PF NO MORE LIES, LIES!!!
Let all Zambians rise and demand a new constituton- it was a social contract -PF manifesto page 42. Keep the promise, deliver the constitution nothing less- no more lies
Considering we were to get this Constitution within 90 days, this PF Government has even delayed to give us a people driven Constitution.
WE NEED THE CONSITUTION NOW……………
So should every MP and Minister fight for a better Zambia than stories of Millions of un retired Imprest, tender procedure was not followed, tribalism and luck of cohesion in developmental issues.
Let pipo condemn, call u childish n all sorts of names…wt u r doin is the ryt thing, debatin like intellectuals is somthn this PF(poor finishn) gvmnt wudn’t tk seriously unlss throwin stones, coz thy r used to life yapa street….muli kaponya styile.. (•_•).PF’s face in 2016
I commend the opposition MPs for their stance towards ba Chuumbu Mushololwa uncompromising attitude.
MR.SPEAKER IF YOU HAD ALLOWED DIALOGUE IN THE FIRST PLACE(LISTENING AND ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF OPPO MPS) IT WOULD NOT HAVE COME TO THIS.STOP BEING BIASED AND OPPRESSIVE.YOUR DUTY IS TO ALLOW FREE DEBATE CAPWA!!!!THIS IS GOOD FOR ZAMBIA.THERES A TIME WHEN ENOUGH GETS MORE THAN ENOUGH.
Epulogilamu
Bravo Opposition MPs for this courageous stance for showing us that you country is number one.We can have roads,hospitals and universities but if the country has useless laws and lack of rule and law where cadres can use guns and pangas every where,then can can shun using the roads and send there children for safety reasons.
May i salute the wise rural population for rejecting PF in 2011 and you continue rejecting it even now during bye elections as opposed to the educated useless town dwellers who continue to support this government with high inflation rate,high prices and other things.
Can all the civil society organizations gather outside parliament building to meet Kambwili who said when the issue will be tabled PF MPs will walk out so that we meet him outside to see the pressure
Things are not good at all. up north bembas are not happy, down south tongas are winning, west BRE revival, central province accidents, in lusaka MPS have woken up and up there God is watching. Nowhere to run to.
PF messed up themselves.we can no longer trust them.they messed up their chance of being in power for 50 years.come 2016 will retire them.
PF is just a passing government.come 2016 it will be long gone.The hand of God is almost slippin off them.pronouncements of developmental projects cannot feed us,construction of infrastructures cannot dress or feed anyone.since PF came into power,life has been a struggle for most zambians.money is on the payslips,but can’t buy anything.
imwe guys fumweni constitution we focus on something else.. this is unnecessary entanglement and wont help this country develop. Give the people wat they want we move on…
” It’s only when you see a mosquito landing on your testicles that you realise that there is always a way to solve problems without using violence. ” This is how laws should be made.
Justo! whose testicle is the mosquito sitting on? If you want to kill a sneaky rabbit beat it together with the slub it it hiding in.
Childish behaviour by the MPs. How can we expect these chaps to make good laws for the country? Maybe the minimum qualification to be an MP should include a degree from a recognised university and a track record of community service and leadership to avoid people springing up from nowhere and becoming law makers.
The opposition are now behaving like opposition. I agree with them because;
a) one of the reasons I supported the PF was their promise on the constitution – they must fulfil this promise.
b) I disagree with the president (Mr. Sata) when he says Zambia has no animal driven constitution – implying it is a people driven constitution. I know he was part of its creation – but that is not the question. We all know we have a constitution, but Zambian have always demanded a comprehensive constitution.
c) The PF has become just as arrongant as the MMD was. Wynter knows that the terms of reference for the constitution committee says, draft const to be released simultaneously to the people and to the president. Now he is ducking!!
It time for a new CONSTITUTION for Zambia. Bravo opposition
Wisdom is the key issue not a degree just how RB failed to do anything meaningfull for zambians he was stinking corrupt
What has RB got to do with the incontinent Ukwa not fulfilling his campaign promises? By the way how much was a bag of mealie meal and how much did we have in reserves during the tenure of the ‘corrupt’ RB who did not give himself three salary hikes nor give his wife an unconstitutional slash fund?
RB us being dealt with trust me. He us a goner and irrelevant in this issue. We are talking about the the incumbent. Do not try and shift the goal posts. This is resolve to have the new constitution will help you and your family even if you don’t understand the implications. Stand aside whilst we do it. There are three types of people in this world:
1. Those that know what is going on
2. Those that heard that there is something going on
3. Those that have no idea what is going on
Choose where you belong for I know the majority of us are in category 1.
You take your pick……
is (us) not sure where that came from – sorry
This a perfect example of where you have a pseudo dictator tries to bulldoze everyone. Michael Sata had no ideal what he was going to land himself into when he was campaigning to become a Republican president. He thought it was those partial dark days of UNIP rule. Things have changed. Kaunda was a clever man he ruled during those days and the style of rule was probably appropriate then not now. We know it is hard if not impossible to teach an old dog new tricks. The onlly economic development Sata has been exposed to is that of the state owning everything so that he can have a broader base of economic control. The exposure to Britain which he(SATA) brags about is not anything to talk about because of the level he participated at whilst in Britain.
Zambians are tired of being lied to.We are tired of seeing our ecoomy nose dive,we are tired of seeing our relatives die due to lack of nurses and drugs.Viva opposition Mps we are behind you.The revolution has started.The boat is sinking.Zambians are not docile,they are patient and their patience is running out.
Most MPs are just villagers and very few are educated. They are voted in office merely because they come from those respective villages.
So your point is?
spartan
I wonder if you even known the qualification of these MP protesting. Do not expose your ignorance. Some of the opposition MPS are educated up to the Professor level. So what are you talking about.?.
Degree or no degree a protest is a protest. The MPS are sent there by us (The educated and the un educated). What they are doing has got our support. In fact it is long overdue. We were planning to do this protest ourselves if the MPs did not do it. In fact if nothing comes out of this protest by the MPs we will join them country wide so that we see what your degree will do.
Read the mood of the nation before making such foolish comments.
Vice president Guy Scott said President Sata can not be trusted if opposition members of parliament continue to agitate for a new constitution Mr Sata will unleash para-military force to beat up opposition MPs.
I can not believe this statement is coming from the republican vice president who has taken an oath to defend the civil liberties of the nation and more also members of parliament. It is inconceivable that out of all thugs in Zambia that do not regard rule of the law of the land Guy Scott seems to champion and abet uncivilized style of governance. Zambia believes in diversity of opinion regardless of background and Guy Scott’s parental origin (UK) is where rule of the law is part of their culture, Scott has lost it. What a shame as a lame duck.
This Zambian mentality of according *****s with respect saying “Ba” to Sata, Kabimba” etc is sickening and ridiculous. That’s why f.o.o.ls like Scott think Zambians are so DOCILE who deserve nothing better than an Animal Driven constitution.
You busy calling maggots of leaders “Ba Chumbu”, Ba SataN, Ba Kambeba” etc when these mother fuc.ke.rs treat you like SH.IT! When are you going to wake up and smell the coffee?
Well spoken papa1 Well spoken.
PF are behaving like kids. The matter is simple release the draft constitution and let the people decide if they like it or not . Mugabe mwaume he accepted the 50 +1 and worked hard to retain power.
They every nations get a leader it deserves. Do we as Zambians in this day and age deserve this dim cadre leadership where the knowlegeable are being led by the unknowing? Where the intelligencia are forced out of the ruling mainstream by medoicrity, corrupt, shallow, inward – looking leadership?
The so called “unprecedented development” crafted by short – sighted government is unsustainable! Its all done for visibility to cheat the feeble minded! Its long before the wheels begin to fall off this regime because there is not enough monies to support the massive capital projects that have not been planned for. The regime is bent on making populist decisions without think through!!
Hey dont talk about Mugabe. His name makes me feel verrrrrry sick. What has Zim. benefitted from him, nothing. This is where this once beutiul country is headed to. It is a pity those who are eating together with the ruling Pama Fi see nothing wrog with them. Shame.
Constitution: UPND to demonstrate at parliament
February 28, 2014 | Filed under: Breaking News | Posted by: +
27th February 2014
The Commissioner of Police
Lusaka Province
Central Police Station
Lusaka
Dear Sir,
RE: NOTICE TO DEMONSTRATE AT PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
The above captioned subject matter refers.
We write to inform you of our intention to carry out the above mentioned activity on Wednesday the 5th of March 2014 at Parliament buildings.
The theme for the demonstration is “we want our constitution now.” The proposed time for our event is from 12:00 hrs to 17:00 hours.
We intend to provide three hundred (300) marshals to assist with crowd control.
We trust that this information will suffice.
Yours faithfully,
K.E Simusamba
Deputy…
All we need is our constitution. We won’t rest until the PF government give us our constitution because its something which rightfully belongs to us! Am urging all well meaning zambians to continue exhibiting the spirit of togetherness.
Let PF sleep on this one at its own peril.