The National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has resumed sitting in Lusaka today with its chairperson, Chifumu Banda, calling on all members to fully apply themselves during deliberations of this session because they had a ‘heavy’ programme of activities.
And the NCC delegates today observed a minute of silence in honour of three deceased members who died between January 11th and April 21st this year when the conference was on recess.
Mr. Banda informed NCC members that they had all been placed in various committees of the conference that would deliberate specific tasks assigned to them.
He said members have been placed into their committees according to their preferences.
“I must hasten to add that all committees are important and that we should apply ourselves to the tasks before us. Needless to stress that the people are looking forward to us to carryout our functions and duties with necessary speed,” he said.
He also announced that during the recess, executive members and the secretariat of the NCC undertook tours to selected provinces to sensitise members of the general public on the work of the constitution conference.
Mr. Banda said the tours revealed that there was a serious lack of knowledge and information about the NCC by the members of the public.
He has therefore urged members of the NCC to work hard and share their knowledge about the NCC with the organisations, groups and the constituencies they represent.
“These tours, to a large extent revealed a dearth of knowledge and information about the National Constitutional Conference (NCC),” he said.
The NCC chairperson also appealed to the members to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations set to guide the deliberations of the conference.
Meanwhile, the NCC observed a minute of silence for Mr. Sylvester Tembo, Dr. Chosani Njobvu and Dr. Cornelius Matandiko who died on February 26th, March 19th and April 2nd respectively when the conference was on recess.
The conference adjourned on January 11th 2008.
Mr. Tembo was representing the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Dr. Njobvu was Milanzi Member of Parliament in Eastern province while Dr. Matandiko was representing the Seventh Day Adventist Church in NCC.
Mr. Banda also welcomed 12 new members to the NCC and asked them to work hard towards coming up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.
The NCC has been tasked to debate the draft constitution which was prepared by the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission, render a report and then adopt the final constitution.
The adopted constitution would then be submitted to parliament for enactment.
The NCC would sit up to May 14th during which period the committees would be approved, with chairpersons and their deputies elected and general orientation of the members carried out.
Other activities during the sitting would be orientation of the committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons.
“After these activities, we are proposing to adjourn the conference so that we give chance to the committees to commence their detailed work to consider matters before them,” he said.
It looks like NCC members are going back to school. The impression given is that they clearly are not conversant with what they are called for.I wonder why NCC could not pick pipo who were familiar with situations at hand than picking pipo who will go and learn from the third party.This NCC has flaws already and on the timely finish of the exercise , we should forget, besides the longer it sits the more money they get.
#1. I agree that this is a flawed and time wasting process. Well, it seems democracy has always been like that. One thing that could have helped with the ‘crash courses’ being offered was to require some minimum qualification from at least the MP’s. But, we thought better of that, didn’t we?
Gents, who picks NCC members? They are just seconded and proposed by the interested parties #1. We belittle these things like proposing members then we complain when the process startes.Please answer me, I do not know, who picks members of the NCC? I might be wrong.
Obviously if the members picked were not from the core of the matter then we know this NCC is screwed even before it takes off.We all know how Zambians try to impress their leaders. information will be collected but conveyance will be skewed.I wonder why we should not have held a referendum. A referendum with terms of reference was going to get to the heart of the matter. Unlike this White horse NCC, where if you dont like Sata you manipulate the whole process so that you get a chance to fix him.I have little faith in this Thing and its credibility is doubtful.
# 3 the selection was partisan without serious scrutiny so whatever out come will be there is heading one way. to impress the mmd and try to consolidate it.There is little difference between our situation and Zimbabwe, The only difference is Mugabe is Violent but it all boils down to cheating pipo
The pipo are just not interested in The NCC it is not lack of knowledge, that should send a clear message to the mmd.
I fully concur with #5 Mashabe, indeed there is no difference between our situation on constitution making and the Zimbabwe’s conduct of elections. There seem already to be rigged minds as the process starts. Every fairness this process should have not have gobbled such huge financial resources. Thie new constitution should have been drawn combining aspects of the Mwanakatwe and Mung’omba Constitution Review Commissions, followed by a referendum. My foot.
“Mr. Banda said the tours revealed that there was a serious lack of knowledge and information about the NCC by the members of the public,” sad quote indeed.
Please NCC make sure the 11 million Zedians know what a Constitution is and what it provides for the betterment of their lives.
Avoid presenting your preconceived ideas only, but concerns from all Zedians across the country.
Please, please NCC.
SA’s ANC Chief Jacob Zuma is proving a wise African leader not willing to conspire on mother Africa. listen to his calculus on BBC though pressed hard.
Key issues:
-How to handle mediation in conflict management
Democracy, elections, recount and partnership
Peace and security in the SADC and good neighborhood
Brown wanted an accomplice in Zuma. But Zuma knows that SA is even a worse off pressure cooker than Zimbabwe just about to open up for the enduring generational inequalities and deprivation blacks are entrenched in.
“Zuma refuses to criticise Mugabe” BBC
The leader of South Africa’s governing ANC party, Jacob Zuma, has refused to blame Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe for recent poll-related violence.He also said he was happy with the way South African President Thabo Mbeki had handled the situation, saying Mr Mbeki was a mediator and could not take sides over Zimbabwe.
Three deaths of people belonging to one group is to high within a short time, In Kaundas’ days five years would pass without hearing of an MP or mcc or governor being deceased. The NCC should address an option for replacement of MPs upon their death or withdraw of any other reasons from Parliament. Either the party should chose a replacement of the MP or the second leading candident of the election should takeover.
Lets forget about possiblities of witchcrafts, the state is losing a lot of money in by-elections
#9 I will be short on Jacob Zuma, he is a populist abit like Sata.He tells pipo what they want to hear.He has already developed a reputation here in SA for apologizing after saying something popular, and being a shrewd politician blame the media for changing his tone.He is a listener and humble, coz of this background and level of education.I would not trust what he says … not any day.