On Friday, September 19, 2014 President Michael Sata will officially open Parliament where amongst other things he will address the nation to provide direction on how the Patriotic Front Government intends to govern our great nation, at a time we celebrate the Golden Jubilee.
2014 is a unique year because Zambia celebrates 50 years of political independence. We therefore believe that President Sata’s speech will be instructive and give solutions to the social and economic challenges which Zambia has been faced with over the years.
Without doubt, the major cause of most, if not all the challenges that we face as a country is as a result of the bad constitution which we inherited from the colonial masters. Today, poverty levels are soaring, with Zambians having no food on their table, no decent shelter, or even clean drinking water because of poor governance.
It is disheartening that 50 years after independence, our development priorities have been misplaced largely because of the defective and inadequate constitution. Infrastructure development has continued to be haphazard, mostly driven by political expedience to favour those with a hold on political power.
It is therefore the hope of the Grand Coalition that on Friday, September 19, President Michael Sata will break the chains and yoke of economic slavery and give Zambians reason to celebrate the Golden Jubilee by releasing and giving a clear roadmap on the Constitution making process. We expect President Sata to announce, in his speech that, his Government will give the Constitution making process a legal framework. Short of these pronouncements, it will be clear that President Sata and the PF used deception to get into office.
Empty statements that the Government is committed to the enactment of a new constitution are over used clichés which Zambians are tired of hearing.
Zambians are resolute and want President Sata to commit the following:
- That he releases the final draft constitution to the Zambian people NOW.
- That the Constitution making process roadmap must end by December 2015 with the enactment of a new people driven constitution.
- That the 2016 local government, parliamentary and presidential elections should be held under the new constitution.
- That the government must in the 2015 national budget provides resources for a national referendum and the operationalization of a referendum commission.
It is the demand of Zambians as reflected in all the successive constitution making processes that the new people-driven Constitution must be adopted through a popular mode – a national referendum.
The failure by President Sata to commit to the above issues will be a clear testimony of the lack of political will by the PF government to give Zambians what is rightfully theirs.
FOR /THE GRAND COALITION ON A PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION
Fr. Leonard Chiti
CHAIRPERSON
Yes,we need it now,the President must fulfill his promises.No more donchi kubeba,which actually meant the setting up of muchinga province.
Well near death experiences have a way of putting things into perspective.As evidenced by the firing of Kabimba and alienating Fred Mmembe perhaps the president has been setting his house in order.This may just be one of Zambia’s best years yet! This is Sata’s chance to leave a lasting legacy in Zambia-either he will be remembered as the president who removed the Zambians from the yoke of colonial laws or he will be remembered as the clown Zambia had as president- who provided nothing more than circus tricks during his term of office.
This will be rope long enough for even shrewd Sata to hang himself. Wait and see.
The “Big Boss” should just give us the new constitution. After all he’s got nothing to lose. He has achieved what he wanted, the Presidency, which very very few people can. He should leave a good legacy behind when he finally “gives up”. He’s got nothing to lose anyway. It’s never too late. A good legacy will earn him kudos even in the life beyond. He may just be received well and in the right place on the other side.
i thought it was just kaponyas and PF cadres who were looking forward to the presidential speech,,,, now even islam women,,,, awe shuwa, the president shouldnt miss this one,,,,, and please ba Sata dont whisper during the speech and send people mute photos,, its jubelee
keep dreaming citizens!
Yes, let him be man enough and come out of hiding to address issues of national interest. There has been too much of delegating by this president.
Sata will never see the essence of new constitution. After 19th of September, he will be back in hiding under the tunnels of Nkwazi House.
NCZ has been revamped..nice one..who thought it would happen.
Small sponsored organizations with selfish personal agendas. You can’t tell the President to give you the constitution NOW! which planet do you come from? He’ll do so at the appointed time. Stop rushing things and just Move bicthes, get out and let us work! PF at work
Spoken like a true d!ckhead.
I think the irony is your thumbnail picture of a skull! We are at work says the skeleton head!
PF will not deliver the constitution. Sata has no respect for the Zambian people whom he duped into voting for him. He is now happy and mocking people to give him an animal driven constitution.
@#Kudos, your language is unpalatable. Next, what work is PF doing? Looting the treasury is it?
The majority of the women and their head gear to me shows these groupings have been taken over by Boko Aram. Who do they represent. This is a minority group or rented crowd.
Kekekeke, tickling bravado !
Gaddafi in 2009 said Islam will Conquer Europe Without Guns Or Swords but through increase of Muslim populations.
Muslims have the money in Zambia and are targeting christian girls and converting them to Islam.Zambians please wake up!
If you see an association like that just know that soon they will start demanding total recognition.
Be warned Zambians!
Its important to appreciate strides taken in this issue by Hon lungu. To demand the immediate release of the constitution when you have discussion going on under the Grand coalition and the Minister of justice is utter insult to the school of negotiation. Father Chiti with his group should begin to show maturity by waiting to hear the outcome of the meeting with Hon. lungu.
But is it not the same Grand Coalition that is calling for the release of the new Constitution? Or are you oblivious to the reality that, like everyone else in PF, Hon Lungu has simply been tasked to create and manufacture more delaying tactics? Are we so dumb that we can’t see that PF is taking us all for a ride on this?
Let’s hope those Moslem women will not turn Zambia into another Nigeria!!. It starts with women then men follow.
LET US BE CAREFUL HERE. WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS DRAFT. AND YET SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT IT MUST BECOME THE CONSTITUTION OF ZAMBIA. ARE YOU SURE EVERYONE WILL LIKE THIS CONSTITUTION? ARE WE SURE IT WILL BRING FOOD ON THE TABLE? FOR ME, THE NEW CONSTITUTION WILL BE GOOD IN THE SENSE THAT IT WILL ALLOW US A BIT OF MORE FREEDOMS AND REDUCE SOME OF THE POWERS OF THE PRESIDENCE. LET US NOT MISLEAD PEOPLE. THE NEW CONSTITUTION IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO ALL OF THE PROBLEMS ZAMBIA FACES. THERE IS ALSO SOME POLITICAL GROUPINGS WHO THINK THAT THE ONLY WAY TTHEY CAN GET INTO STATE HOUSE IS BY REMOVING SATA FROM THERE VIA THE NEW CONSTITUTION (50% + 1). THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUES.
The mandate was for a new Constitution, period. To sway people from it, under the pretext that the New Constitution is not good after all, is utter monkey politics. What has the New Constitution got to do with bringing food on the table?
Why Muslims in the fore front, no, not in Zambia, Zambia is a Christian nation. these guys have brought misery on innocent African Brothers and sisters. the Boko haram, ISIS, jihads Taliban’s and so on. we don’t want them near us. I wonder which God they serve to be killing people like flies.
Gaddafi in 2009 said Islam will Conquer Europe Without Guns Or Swords but through increase of Muslim populations.
Muslims have the money in Zambia and are targeting christian girls and converting them to Islam.Zambians please wake up!
If you see an association like that just know that soon they will start demanding total recognition.
Be warned Zambians!
The gov’t could at least have released the constitution draft by now, before 50th independence celebrations. This gov’t has made itself so unpopular through its conduct on this issue. We will need to debate the contents before passing it. I think they will loose many votes come 2016, because of the apathy created by this issue.
If the article above is signed by a writer titled Father (er….Friar Tuck) should we have had some nuns in habit for synergy?? I know this is a coalition contribution, but I think LT in picking that picture are posing a second discussion on Zambian Muslim women which detracts from the purpose of this article. As you can see some ‘Christians’ are already alarmed.
Our current constitution is not entirely bad. It is just misinterpreted a lot. We need amendments, not a total overhaul. Who in their crazy minds makes a brand new constitution in this modern world of feminists and only a few independent states. Use wisdom and not just shouting to be the loudest.
It’s George Orwell’s satire at its best. The pigs, now the new masters, sleep in old Jones beds, cover themselves with blankets and drink the milk from the cows. Meanwhile the star of the show is Boxer with his slogan: “I will always work harder and Napoleon is always right.” But it is he, who, when things get sour for him, the pigs decide to sell to the knackers.
See how vivid the depiction of it, as the animals, all line-up, singing “Goodbye Boxer, Goodbye Boxer..” Old Benjamin looking on, hardly believes what he sees. “Fools, Fools..” he shouts. “They are taking Boxer to the knackers.” With that, the animals jump in unison, wanting to rescue their most endeared hero. But it is an effort in futility. The gates close behind them and Boxer is gone. What a price!
What makes me chuckle each time Zambians demand something in the direction of the constitution is that they consider softening the blows of law-breaking. Considering that a good part of the current constitution’s benefits are hardly ever made use of speaks volumes. The typical hope is that we can scream half-truths with impunity, gather to scheme, weave and bob without let or hindrance, and hopefully impeach authority at the drop of a hat. That, my friends, will not happen as hoped. Watch out for the stick as the carrot comes dangling into view! Don’t say you were not warned…
what do you expect in a country with more NGOs than manufacturing industries? workshops, crusades,demonstrations and meetings. ignore them father thats how they make money
how will the new constitution bring food on table. # just thinking