PRESIDENT Michael Sata has blamed the failure of previous Constitution-making processes in Zambia on ‘selfish politicians’.
The president has pointed out that the Constitution-making process started way back in 1972 and that no one should blame the National Constitution Conference (NCC) or the Mvunga or any other commissions, but the politicians who have been selfish.
Mr Sata hopes that the team he has appointed to draft the new Constitution would not fail the citizens, this time around, but would work to give them a Constitution that would stand the taste of time.
He said that the Mung’omba Commission produced a good report but that somebody, out of their selfish motives, took it to the National Constitution Conference (NCC) where the document was tampered with.
Speaking at State House when he swore-in some members of the technical committee of experts charged with drafting the Republican Constitution, President Sata said that the team he had appointed was well-balanced and experienced to mould a people-driven Constitution.
“So we as politicians, decided to bring a large crowd. I have been condemned for bringing that large crowd, I have been condemned for not balancing it; but I have balanced it with the brains, the crowd which I have brought here is a crowd of brains,” he said.
He said the team had vast experience more so that it was composed of members that chaired previous review commissions as well as those that served as members.
Mr Sata said that the committee would make its own pattern of work and if it felt the need to split and have others travel to Namibia or South Africa, it was at liberty to do so considering that there was goodwill from the donor community.
“The secretary to the Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice, we should assist as much as we can. We have so much good will from the international community over this and I have told the chairperson that we will not keep any money because when we keep it we divert it to something else,” Mr Sata said.
He said that the committee would open its own account for easy auditing as well as access to the funds whenever need arose to ensure the process was smooth.
The president told the chairperson of the committee, Annel Silungwe, not to be bothered with a referendum as it would not be in the terms of reference.He pointed out that the committee should recommend if there would be need for a referendum.
“If your committee feels there is a contentious issue for which we need the consent of the people, then you will recommend to us and then we shall do that.
If you are going to produce that document, and say you want a referendum, how are you going to frame the questions because I remember that the first referendum of 1969, it was yes or no,” he said.
The members that were sworn-in include Mr Silungwe; his deputy, Julius Sakala; Justice Minister, Sebastian Zulu; former chairperson of the last constitution review commission, Willa Mung’omba and Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary, Charity Mwansa.
Others were former chairperson of the Mvunga Commission, Patrick Mvunga; former NCC spokesperson, Mwangala Zaloumis; Ernest Mwansa; Winnie Sitole; Thandiwe Daka and former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, Eva Jhala.
The rest are Paulman Chungu, from the Law Association of Zambia; Citizens Forum executive secretary, Simon Kabanda; Margaret Munalula; Clement Ng’andu; Chief Luchembe and the legislative drafts person, Andrew Nkunika.
bauze mbuya….appointments everyday…why not scrutinise these appointment before making announcements….even in church the president made an appointment of Sichone….please…be proffessional and time and place matters.
Let us wait and see! it is to early to make conclusion whether his appointments are good or not until we see a good constitution at the end of the day.
This backwardness of condemning everything is bad. I have not seen anything to condemn what the president has done in the above article. And also the hatred and anger from the bantustaan against the bembas is not taking the country anywhere.
I have no problem with the composition of the committee as long as ba Pente tamuli. They ate too much and prophesied lies throughout the MMDs 20 yrs. Infact even Mwanagala Zaloumis is a misfit in this comtee as she was the one who misled the nation in the last Commission. What would be important is DO NOT approach ba Born Again for submissions, they will be looking for tithes to be paid through this committee. Avoid them, full final stop!!!
Foward tata foward @ least we wil save some zimbongo. Tunashikiya fulayi sana mukini wetu utakuya kumbele
iwe kasai finshi ulecita mu zambia….?
Trouble is everyone thinks kulilapo. Tu Pastor, tu Chifire, tu Lifwekelo, tu George Kunda, tu you name them!
I think we have read, watched and heard enough condemning. Tell us something we don’t know and give us something MMD never did…
Mudala is on track theoretically. Let’s see how they perform, and how they account for expenses. Donor community must also tell us how much they give and how much is accounted for over a period. Most important, give us a sound constitution.
This song is beginning to sound like its playing from a broken record manje.
you are the same selfish politicians to blame..you were in govt when all the commissions failed apart from Mung’omba..what has changed today..?
Funds directly to the commission is a good move. The fewer the middlemen, the less chances of muzzling the accountability process, as well as reducing the potential for sangwapo.
in #11 I meant muddling, not muzzling*
lol, flexible enough to flip-flop
President Sata has stamped a mark on his desire for a new Zambian Constitution by appointing individuals with legal experience and societal qualifications calling it “Technical Team”. Mr Sata’s acknowledgement of selfish politians being resiponsible of past constitution making failires is welcome and commended especially that he was one of those polititians. However, he draws terms of reference for these men and women to toll as if that determines the success of the constitution making. Ney, Zambia is a well enlightened country todate and the people’s submissions made in all the previous commissions is what will constitute a new Zambian Constitution. The selfish Zambian polititians have contaminated the moral character of our country and held the nation at ransom denying it a new
constitution for such a long time and I insist that these polititans including Mr Sata should squarely accept the responsibility of the corruption of the previous regimes. President Sata should be consistent in his belief that he can not bring about the new constitution on his own without the will of Zambians. If and when this constitution comes to pass its Zambians who will have made it possible as the chance for it to fail is as live as the other failed attempts before. We fell morally because we became used to selfish polititans saying something different from what we thought they would deliver.
Who cares about these mumblings
As a third world country for some reason, people here dont even know Zambia, they know more Zimbabwe, we are a nonentity a joke beyond immagination
No constittion, No mcdonalds no car assembly company, no good taxis, nothing zambia makes me cry at times just being zambia makes me feel a little depressed
I have just been told my passport is not yet back I am still using the black passport, I applied in June, How incompetent is this?
Thanks
Mushota could you kindly denounce your Zambian citizenship and apply for citizenship where ever you are.
Mushota Kwena Uli Mulanda Mumano! Intellectually Challenged!
#16
In that context you use renounce not denounce.
thanks mr. sata for acknowledging that kk, ftj, levy and rb were all self centred on the issue of the constitution, please be different and shame them for the good of mother zambia and your legacy.
Verily verily I agree with you Mr Sata that self politicians caused us the failure to come up with a peolpe driven constitution especially that you contributed big time to the stiffling of the constitution making process. I would not be wrong to call you the most selfish of them all; You who by tooth and nail defended the third term bid.
apply for citizenship in Barotseland. Plenty of sand for your sun bathing!
Please note: it is not “taste” of time “test” of time.
Ba LT you hahave just written the names of three (3) Technical Committee members here. Where are the rest? Is it because they are from the Roman catholic Organisation?
What are the names of these Priests who will be chewing our MONEY?
Silungwe does not qualify to be the Chairman really because he has a mentality of a ONE PARTY PARTICIPATORY Democracy of COMMUNISM.
Silungwe’s past is tented with his judgement of Acquittal that favored the son of Kenneth Kaunda KAMARRAGE who murdered someone in 1991.
Can some clever lawer please help me understand under which law in Zambia is the committee of experts constituted? The swearing in ceremony would also depend on a statutory document of oath. Which one has the President used?
Someone please tell me what the president is saying?
Yes Sata is right most Politicians are selfish including himself he is among the fuzz that bared Kaunda by raping our constitution na ka Chiluba they even removed the 50 plus one percent Sata was number 3 in command this fluke president is a trick star nothing good wil come out of his useless commision
it is a Bemba constitution so if by grace of God another president comes in, there will be new constitution again. The Lozi people are very a shame for supporting this man. You have seen for yourselves. It is up to you to put a stop to this nonsence from SATA…!!