The National Constitutional Conference (NCC) today started sitting at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre, with the chairperson, Chifumu Banda calling on members to study documents containing rules and regulations of the conference.
The NCC is a forum that has been created to debate and adopt the Mung’omba draft constitution which it will subsequently present to parliament for legislation.
Mr. Banda said the NCC members should study the report pertaining to NCC procedures, rules, regulations and committees in order for them to contribute effectively to the deliberations of the conference.
Mr. Banda reminded members of the NCC to ensure that they, through the conference, come up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.
He said this after members commenced debates on the report of the interim committee.
Some members said it was difficult for certain members to understand the documents which they have just collected today.
To this, Mr. Banda said there was no need for such an excuse because the secretariat had been announcing that documents should be collected a day before the conference resumes sitting.
This was meant to provide ample time to members of the NCC to read the report of the interim committee and other documents.
“These documents are not meant to decorate your shelves, so I appeal to you all to take time to read these documents,” he said.
Mr. Banda also welcomed members of the NCC that were sworn in after it adjourned sitting before Christmas.
Earlier, interim Committee chairperson, Patrick Matibini informed the conference that the committee sat for five times from December 21st 2007 when it was constituted to January 5th this year.
Mr. Matibini said the committee was aimed at laying ground for the NCC through setting up rules and regulations that would govern the deliberations of the conference.
“We need to rise like a noble eagle in the Zambian sky. Zambia demands a durable constitution, Zambia deserves a durable constitution,” he said.
He urged NCC members to put their partisan and individual interests aside and focus on the interest of the nation in their deliberations.
The NCC would from today until January 10 when it will adjourn, consider adopting the report of the interim committee on rules and regulations, adopt the reports on report of the NCC committees, regulations 2008 and disciplinary committee proceedings and procedure rules, 2008.
It will further have a briefing by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on rules and regulations for election of disciplinary committee members, elect the members, chairperson, vice chairpersons and secretaries of the same committee and announcement of members of the general purposes committees.
The current sitting of the NCC will adjourn on Thursday January 10th, 2008 to pave way for the
official opening of parliament on January 11th.
The NCC will remain adjourned during the sitting of parliament because all Members of Parliament are supposed to be members of the conference.
The NCC Act provides that the conference sits for a period of one year, subject to extension if business is not concluded within twelve months.
Meanwhile, A retired politician in Ndola has called on Patriotic Front (PF) leader to tone down his responses on issues of national interest.
Mr. Isaac Kanyanta told Zanis in Ndola today that the PF leader should not be using scaring language to his members because leadership was about having a following.
He said there was need for him to be accommodating and welcoming for the party to remain strong and united.
Mr. Kanyanta added that the PF was a formidable opposition but needed to be accommodative when dealing with issues of national interest.
He was speaking in light of the suspension of some PF Members of Parliament for their decision to participate in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).
He said such actions were sending wrong signals to people outside the party because the NCC was a national issue which needed the participation and input of every person regardless of political or religious affiliation.
I understand those Catholics who have confessed that they have been fathering children in secrete have also joined NCC. They should first be probed and account for the children they have been making. We thought they were “celebacing” but now they tell us that they were busy fathering in secrete.
Wish the NCC all the best. Stand firm we have no other Zambia.
For those familiar with the draft Mung’omba Constitution, is there a provision for Zambians in the diaspora to vote, and is there a specified date for presidential elections and the succession process? Is the issue of dual citizenship tackled?