The European Union has joined other international institutions recommending the removal of the presidential parentage clause in the Zambian constitution.
According to recommendations from the EU Observer Mission’s final report of the 20 September General Elections, Zambia should do away with the parentage clause so that all its citizens are accorded an opportunity to lead the country.
Other recommendations include the extension of time between the announcement of the final presidential results and the inauguration of the new head of state.
The EU has also recommended that a new special court or tribunal be set up to exclusively deal with election petitions.
EU Chief Election Observer for Zambia, Maria Muniz told MUVI TV News that Zambians who are not aligned to any party should also be allowed to contest the presidency.
A few weeks ago, the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa also recommended that the parentage clause be scrapped off and independent presidential candidates be allowed to contest elections.
MUVI TV
Thanks EU for pointing us in the right direction. All we need are gd brains to rule the country not parentage we have Obama coz American doesn’t care about parents but brains.
check the presidendial powers,PMs who defect need a window not to recontest. ECZ need to be independent of govt but work together..
I am not very familira with the presidential parental clause so I will not comment much. I agree that one need not be sponsored by a political party, but I am concerned with how Zambian an individual is, which in turn translates to how much loyalty the guy will give to Zambia. America is a different story in that it is a nation of immigrants. Europe and Africa are in the hands of their indegenous peoples, or peoples who have been their for a very significant period in history. As such, the governing politics can not be the same as in America. In Europe it is not easy for any one who is not hundred percent European to get into office, let alone get reasonable employment as per one’s qualifications, so I think on this one the EU should also check their own policies.
Zambians your draft Constitution regarding parentage is OK,It is your choice and let it stand.Stand to it and let not the EU bully you.
:-t
Why must Zambia listen to what the EU to say. If the roles were swapped will the EU want to hear anything Zambia would like to say on any thing about the EU. definately NO. PISS OFF mr EU.
It is for us Zambians to decide for ourselves. Why should we listen to you bullies.  We do not want a foreigner for a leader, so let me say EU and Southern Africa fimo fimo go JERK-OFF elsewhere!!
Are these guys trying to prepare us for Guy Scot? You cannot compare America with Zambia. America can have a true Black president but it’s domestic and foreign policy will remain unchanged. Real power in America lies with the whites. Unlike Zambia where even under an indegenous President there is foreign inteferance in the running of the country. It could even be worse under a President of european ancestry.
It pains me everytime I hear the EU telling Zambia what to do. This is not the case here in South Africa, I have never heard of the EU or the IMF approaving the SA budget or instructing the goverment on any governace issue. Something is seriously wrong with this country (Zambia). Is the nation under judgment or under a curse?
This is totally bullshit from the EU, let them honest and tell us if they allow foreigner to stand presidents in any EU country. These are some of the issues which must be left to the sovereign countries to decide. This has never been a problem in Zambia, just because we have a vice president who is not qualified to be president hence these talks arising so that one day we maybe colonized. They have made good suggestions about the elections results, election petitions and etc, but on the parentage clause, let the clause remain as it is the only thing I would like to see is the minimum qualifications for the president being higher than the grade twelve. I really hope we reject changing the parentage clause and leave it the way it is. Millions of Zambians qualify under this clause!
Who cares what the EU thinks? Zambians should decide on their constitution! Isn’t this condescending for the EU?Â
Stop wasting your time. Whether you like it or not the clause is going. Michael Sata went to the UK to court their money just before elections, and now they have even said it explicitly that you must love gay people or not recieve any of their money. Now, with this dull illiterate president you have in State House who has no idea which direction the economy is headed, better not bite the EU finger that you will need to feed you in the near future. From my perspective, the EU are more clever and wiser than those of you bunch of *****s who voted a clueless illiterate president into State House. You are allergic to prosperity and enjoy begging, so watch your words against the EU. Have you seen what Malawi is now doing? They are reviewing their gay laws after EU cut off aid. Stop joking!
I just want to make my point more clear for some of you: I’m not saying you can’t condem the EU advice. That is within your right to do that. However, if you are so dull as to vote in a dull illiterate president who is already dividng the country in less than 90 days, then I don’t see how you can claim to know better than the EU. Maybe people will listen more to the EU than to you who can misuse your vote and judgement – it’s called credibility. I for one want to see people participating in elections irrespective of where they have lived, as long as they are Zambians. How does living in a country for 20 years give someone dull more credibility than a wise chap who has spent most of his years working for world bank? It’s a stupid discriminatory clause that defies logic!
### 3!
Those are the kind of genuine thoughts we Zambians are genetically enshrined with… those of you who live here in Europe and many wiser Zambians around the globe will agree with you. They don’t need write our books!
Sounds thoughts!
In life there is fantasy and there is reality. Check what is now happening in Malawi with Mbingu completely humiliated. So there are some things that are not even worth commenting because it is a waste of time. If you want independence then stop voting into power people who don’t know what they are doing, so that your economy grows and you gain your own independence. The EU funded Zambian elections, they are funding your so-called technical committee on the constitution (Sata himself has said so!). So what are you talking about. If you don’t want them to comment, stop taking their money bwana. Simple fact of life!
big mouthed for nothing. eu, concentrate on your crises.Â
Zambia Watch out!!!!! Removal of parentage means you will SELL the country as cheaply as Finance Bank was sold. Even in America, with all its greatness has a clause on that even beyond – you should have resided in USA for at least 10yrs to stand as president even if you are American. The EU pls leave Zambia to Zambians!!!!!!!!!!
We need to go back into history to understand why this was put in place in the first place. It was done by Chiluba and his cohorts in order to ensure that Kaunda could not stand. Imagine changing the constitution in order to fix one person. On the other hand, I am suspicious of the EU because they never mentioned it when Chiluba, Mwanawasa or RB where in power. I agree with fellow bloggers that they want to see Guy Scott occupy the office if the right opportunity arises. Who would blame them if you have a president that lacks diplomacy and tact.Â
If this” presidential parental clause” were to be part of the Constitution, the first casualties to be affected by this provision would be Sata of Tanzanian (Mwakyusa) origin and his Vice-President Guy Scott of Scotish origin. In fact even the insertion of the 50 + 1 % vote for Presidents would strongly disadvantate these two foreigners that have encroached on to positions of power in Zambia.
EU has a lot to think about at home, what with their economy tanking,the germans are taking over europe through economy power.look after your home EU delegates then dispense advice.
KAUNDA, CHILUBA, RB AND NOT SURE ABOUT MWANAWASA BUT AT LEAST OVER 50% OF YOUR LEADERS WERE NOT BORN IN ZAMBIA AND THAT CLAUSE MAKES ZAMBIA LOOK LIKE UNEDUCATED HYPOCRITES
The demons that were casted out have now come in full swing within 90 days.This is the issue which the big-mouthed president must have a say during swearing-in-ceremony.As regards petitions ECZ should be self contained with a ‘court of appeal’ to deal with election petitions.When there is dispute at this level ECZ should go to courts of law as defendant or complainant with the client.
EU should mind their own business. Do they think zambians are fools? They just want to pave a way for guy scott. No nse nse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. This is what we say ULUSE lWALI LILE INKWALE. Scot should be removed immidiately.
It is our constitution, so EU should piss off.Â
Sata is using this clause to intimidate the respected former President Rupiah BANDA!
Sata and Wynter Kabimba should stop these NONSENSE! They are just MORON CHIMPANZEES!
Neo-colonialism comes in many hues…muchenjere ni awa mazungu…they should not get involved in african politics…sometimes they play dirty…Manje ali ndimadebts maningi kwawo kuja sangalete aid ku zambia.Ine nayenda mwe..