The Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) has approved newly elected President Edgar Lungu’s intention to find ways of avoiding by elections in order to cut costs.
ZCTU Secretary General Cosmas Mukuka said the congress fully supports the President’s intentions because the country has various developmental needs that require resources.
He said national development has suffered at the expense of meeting huge costs of holding by elections at various levels.
In a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr Mukuka noted that though democracy is not cheap, it is more logical to avoid wasting government resources on by elections and fund development projects to improve livelihoods.
Mr Mukuka stated that there have been persistent calls to uplift the standards of livings among workers and the general public.
He said the trade union will support any plans by government to avoid costly elections in order to channel such expenditure on public spending.
The trade union leader added that the trade union is also pleased that President Lungu has directed state house staff not to block the public from seeing him.
Mr. Mukuka disclosed that it was impossible for ZCTU in the past to meet the president to discuss serious and urgent national issues that have remained unresolved such as the wage freeze, the dismissal of nurses and other labour related matters due to lack of access to the Head of State.
Meanwhile ZCTU has expressed gratitude to president Lungu for appointing Ms. Inonge Wina as Republican Vice President and hoped that her appointment will help unite the country.
Mr Mukuka urged the newly appointed Vice President to broadly speak on issues affecting people and women in particular.
He also urged the president to remain focused in his new position and improve the welfare of all Zambians including in areas where the Patriotic Front was rejected.
He appealed to all stakeholders to support government’s efforts in developing the country and uplifting the standard of living of the masses.
By elections are a necessary evil of any democratic society. The problem in Zambia, as in many things, in greed. people are simply too greedy and will exploit anything to secure and prolong their time on the basket.
The only solution is to exclude any defecting MP from competing in the by-election that they have created and therefore excluding them from Parlaiment as an MP for the remainder of that Parlaimentary term.
In situations of death or genuine resignation of a serving minister, we have to bite the bullet and face upto one.
In relation to the Presidential by-election, Dora was right that our systems (candidates sponsored by a party) means we are choosing a party and therefore we should simply allow the Governing party to put forward a suitable candidate or the VP. Job Done!
Mbam! Walasa! Nothing more nothing less!
Put this in the constitution:
Presidential candidates must have a running mate
We vote to for the ticket and not allow the president free hand in hiring and firing their 2-i-c.
When compelled by the constitution, candidates will be making choices sober (pun unintended).
Put this in the constitution:
Member of Parliament candidates must have a running mate. Voters elect the two the like most! If the main MP proves unsatisfactory, number 2 steps in. No bye elections, just bye bye to under performer or unloyal nuisance MP.
Radical, creative but it will cater to our needs!
Here’s my question though. In an event that both members of parliament die what happens then? Unlike the president and their running mate in the event that they both die, the chief justice can takeover.
I hope the focus is not just on by-elections but the many aspects of the current constitution that has been a challenge to Zambians. Nevertheless, I feel that this talk of by-elections has an angle to it. I hope I am wrong. In the past, any adjustments to the constitution was either done to suit the ruling party or disadvantage the opposition. My take on this talk is that the president wants to kick the likes of masebo and gbm to the curb without holding a by-election. Lungu, the politician, knows that all he needs is just to throw the bone and the rest of them dogs (zctu, ngo, bloggers) will jump on it and see sense.
@Biz, this would only Kick in the next parliament (I’m sure) this is not the time and place for retribution. We all need healing after an HH tsunami!
Most of the bye elections are caused by the ruling party poaching opposition MPs without MOU with the ruling party, we saw it during LM’s tenure in MMD and MCS’s tenure in PF. For presidency, a running mate solves it although he or she may start becoming big headed knowing he or she cannot fired. So what happens if the VP starts making parallel structures?
It’s the constitution which needs to be re-written and this problem of bye elections will be addressed.MPs switching parties should automatically be dropped and the runner up becomes MP..kwasila. In the case of the presidency, we should adopt the U.S model..veep is running mate and they automatically assume office.