Delegates to the on-going Constitution National Convention have unanimously endorsed the recommendation
that ministers and their deputies should be appointed outside parliament and that their appointments should not be ratified by parliament.
Former Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa in contribution to Article 20 gave examples of Nigeria and the USA where ministers were appointed outside parliament and the system was working well.
But Heritage Party leader Godfrey Miyanda opposed this saying the President-elect went to the polls with a team and wondered why he should not utilise his team to become ministers.
The delegates also retained the proposal in the first draft Constitution that provincial ministers should be sitting in Cabinet meetings as ex-officio members and that petitions in presidential elections should be done within 60 days from the date of announcement of results.
[pullquote]He said this when he announced that he had received a report that a delegate was assaulted by another during health break just because they differed during debates.[/pullquote]
They also retained the proposal that if a president, while in office, sues another person, then his immunity should be removed.
Earlier, chairperson of the Convention Pofessor Muyunda Mwanalushi warned delegates against attacking each other physically after differing on opinions during debates.
He said this when he announced that he had received a report that a delegate was assaulted by another during health break just because they differed during debates.
Yaba kanshi kuli nokulwa??? These chaps will kill each other by the end of the seatings
Chi Mwaliteta is on rampage to fight. He should try a Luapulan, he will be kicked like Sata’s dog.
Awe Bane mwilalwa tulelandafye!
Haha,that will save UPND from being decimated by parasitic PF and also stop hungry MP’s from crossing over in search of “a job” from the president.
If all goes well and this constitution becomes a reality believe me PF will sail on until 2021
The boat is already sailing bululu I think past 2021 that is if you and I dont start our own political movement. So far so good, I just wish they can come up with some way of removing greedy chaps from government. Why not look at Botswana and Namibia and compare notes..? Then when we add our ideas to that we would have a great outcome.
Assaulting one because you have different opinions. How primitive. Going by what happened it the Livingstone By election where a serving Minister of Government assaulted a legislative member of Government, your guess is good as mine which Party the assailant in this case belongs to.
seems this constitution is tailored to suit HH
looks like it will be a people driven constitution. Bravo PF
those who supported appointment of ministers outside parliament are likely to be those fear losing parliamentary elections-looking a an easy way to eat in government. why should you represent the country at national level when you have not been tested at constituency level?
Very good question, also they should come up with a clause which must state that political parties taking part in presidential and general elections must all go for party convention prior to the elections to elect their leader, this would root out jokers and only someone who has the backing of the people would be a party presidente…HH would surely loose..?
This is the best way the country is going to have quality ministers and deputy ministers. Currently even a mere kaponya can be a minister just because he/she is an MP and belongs to the president’s tribe or is related to the president’s wife, etc. A good nimber of MPs do not have what it takes to be in the House – they are in the House after buying people chibuku. The Zambian electorates are very cheap and unprincipled.
This will be a HH driven constitution. Chabota… Unfortunately he wont rule to use it. Shame…
SO NOW YOU HAVE BECOME A GOD TO KNOW THE FUTURE?
This is a good one concentration is important for Development these MPs should not hold two jobs at one time they are never seen by us who vote for them becoz they are at CABINET
So far – so people driven.
Apart from the ‘Bemba’ guy beating his friend, the convention seems to be doing a good job. NICE!
Appointing cabinet misters and their deputies outside parliament will finally solidify the concept of “SEPERATION OF POWERS.” The legislature will now be fully independent. No more divided loyalties from MPs serving as both legislators and cabinet ministers. Now all MPs in the people’s house will have the freedom to truly carry out checks and balances on the executive and the judiciary without fear or favor.
If an MP is appointed to a cabinet post and feels that they can do a better job serving the electorate that way, they should immediately resign and the seat re-contested—hard luck if they later get fired by the president—hence, they will be forced to weigh their options very carefully! This way both the President and MPs will fully be answerable only to “WE THE PEOPLE!”
Indeed. That is the idea.
THE PF DESERVES A BIG WOW FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROGRESS.
ITS NOT A PF CONSTITUTION.DELEGATES ARE FROM DIFFERENT ORGANISATIONS AND POLITICAL PARTIES.
But still guys, its the same. Are these ministers appointed outside parliament not members of the ruling party? If yes, then useless people will be appointed by the president there by spreading their share in the nation cake? The ruling party will have so many of its people eating the national cake. Why cant we say the Ministers must be professionals appointed by the public service? Guys I see nothing new and good in these close and I think PF is celebrating. This is how dull we can be when we are blinded by ego.
Peace and prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Even when ministers are appointed from parliament opposition MPs are also considered,so I dont see your point that outside parliament all appointees will be from the ruling party. Hopefully they will all be professional, unlike where we have had soldiers running ministry of health, doctors running ministry of finance, people without a security background running ministry of defence…
‘fyanta mbuzi…paya njoka….’ yayi osamenyana uko!
@15 this is ok coz it will redice episodes of MPs crossing the floor just to be ministers! Parliament will also be ruthless with the executive coz they will not be eyeing ministerial positions. Way to go i thunk!
PF is a serious party. OK, iyi yena ifwile fye yapasa aini. Efyo ili fye bakaamba. Kale twayamba.
this is a very welcome development. then we wont have MPs going off to parliament to look for ministerial jobs
I am with you ba BW.
This is a good idea. Rtd. Brid.Gen. Miyanda’s objections do not hold water as one can still have a shadow cabinet outside parliament. Though I stand corrected I think this system is in use in Sweden. However, in their case if an MP is appointed to cabinet the affected party is allowed to find a replacement without going through a by-election.
Great job guys so far, my worry is why fight? Who do u represent to fight for? certainly not us cos u care not for us, my hope is that u will not go New Zealand. And make Zambia the 14th country to legalise homosexiulity.
I doubt UKWA will accept some of these clauses. He might even throw out the whole document. Watch the space. We should have taken this process from him at the beginning. Duped again. We never learn as Zambians
Just imagine a Grade 12 or even Grade 8 being a president. Granted, all ministerial appointments are a prerogative of the president, this president will appoint people who have to dance to his uneducated tune! Do you expect Zambia to develop? How? You must be joking. Zambia should not jeopardise its future by electing somebody like that to such a high office. How do we expect to develop?
What we need is someone who will open doors for Zambia. Someone who will discuss issues at 10 Downing Street, or Knesset, or White House, or with Angel Merkel, Gilad, Johnstone, or other educated world leaders. That should be ENSHRINED in the constitution. A constitution should not be an emotional document to suit Mr X or Mr Y. The document should stand the test of time. Lets look at this again, people.