Government has rejected a fresh proposal by the Technical Committee Drafting the Zambian Constitution-TCDZC to have a six months extension to the constitution making process.
Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba has maintained that the committee should conclude its programme of work by June 30, as earlier indicated.
Mr. Kabimba says allowing an extension entails that a further 44 million kwacha-rebased will be spent on the constitution building process, through a supplementary budget.
He says such expenditure will be unreasonable and outrageous in view of equally important social and economic development programmes.
Mr. Kabimba was speaking at a media briefing held at his office in Lusaka on today. The constitution making process has so far gobbled 100-million kwacha rebased. The technical Committee had written to Mr Kabimba requesting for a six months extension.
But Mr Kabimba has rejected the proposals demanding that the committee should stick to the earlier roadmap and handover its work by this month end.
“In January this year, the technical committee on drafting the constitution informed my office that they would hand over to government the final draft constitution by June 30, which is this month end. However the technical committee has come back to government through the Ministry of Justice with a proposal that the Committee be granted an extension of up to December 31 2013.”
He added, “This extension would entail a supplementary budget of Kr 44,000 or K44 billion. This expenditure is not only unreasonable but outrageous in view of other equally important social and economic development programmes which the governance has to finance.”
“It is therefore the position of government that technical committee should complete its programme of work by June 30. So there will be no extension,” he said.
He said this would allow the progression of the process and save the escalation of costs.
In another development, Mr Kabimba has commended the Judiciary for showing willingness to undertake judicial reforms.
Mr. Kabimba says Government is determined to undertake the process of enhancing judicial accountability and reform.
The Minister, who is also Patriotic Front-PF Secretary General, has pledged Government’s commitment to ensure that the presence of the High Court is made in all the provinces.
Mr. Kabimba says Government will work closely with the judiciary to ensure that there is a resident Judge in Chinsali, Mongu, Solwezi, Chipata, Kasama and Mansa.
There have been calls from a wide section of society, asking Government to reform the Judiciary in order to deliver prompt and quality justice.
Winter know its not your intention to have a new constitution, the only reason you rejecting it is that the PF government is bankrupt.
There is no decision that the govt makes that will please you armchair critic. Well said Kabimba, no more time and money wasting.
My sense is that what should be extended is the public sensitisation on Kwacha Rebasing. As you can see, even the author of the article above does not understand it!
Maybe I was wrong about you, Mr Kabimba, I am beginning to like you ! Please let us give them a chance this time !
I don’t care if Kabimba says something good like this point, he still Kabimba nothing good about him.
This person TheEngineer(Australia) has personal issues.
But now he has a mind to tell us that the supplementary budget will cost 44 million? this means more than 200 million has been spent by now right? When we were asking this same man about how much this process will cost he said that it is none of our business, but now that people want to do their job vikange, let him cut his salary for the nation to have a constitution. Because in the beginning it had an open cheque, now it is too expensive,? Again the lack of respect for the law surfaces with this boma, let them just finish
Zambians as a people must learn to look for the good in people because none of us is perfect.
@Golden Kabimba is perfect, he is the perfect ***** who thinks his stool doesn’t sting and fantasizes about eating it too. Good in people? why won’t we see the good in RB or HH to let them go about their daily lives and endeavors minus interference? I look for good, but in this case it is covered by a thick layer of dullness and mediocrity. I honestly am fed up of these people. If these people need 6 months, let them have it, let us make sure that they produce a good constitution that will not be rejected.
As MMD member, I commend and applaud this decision taken by Government. We should have had this constitution in place 90 days after September 2011.
Ya I give credit where it is due . Let’s be done with this thing. All the material is there. The people responsible need to do what we all done when the deadline is approaching- STOP sleeping and zero the clocking working to meet the deadline. You all have been to UNZA or some university where you have zeroed the clock to study and pass your exams ..do it again for Zambia and put a sound document on the table by 30th June. Tell your wives and families that you wont be available for the next 3 weeks before you have deadline issues. This is what we all do. So do the same
It time to move forward.
MMD Chief Bootlicker. I have followed a lot of your contributions are very educative. Whats your take on this sudden removal of subsidy?
Imprezza, I think I have made my views on the early subsidy threads.No doubt, it’s been poorly handled as you have said-sudden removal. My issue is not removing subsidy really. This Government has not shown seriousness in saving money wherever they can as evidenced by a heavily subsidised bloated cabinet, rewarding of MPs who cause by elections. These are the basics that people understand and Government should have been seen to save money in these areas before jumping on subsidies which have kept food inflation low, delivered unprecedented bumper harvest year to year.. I just have a bad feeling that the World Bank is back in Zambia and that is depressing if you look at history.
Well said, thank you.
@MMD Bootlicker, Imprezza & Monk Square Analysis; this is constructive engagement – thanks guys. Does Monk Square still exist if I may ask?
MCB weldone. You have really sobered up. Let some goons emulate you and stop bitterness and let the country move on. Congrats brotherman
Thanks MMD Chief
Bravo! Save resources for other development needs.
I’m a bit confused. So what does this go to? We present a half finished constitution or we rather keep the old one?
Under pressure!
I love this when Sata & Kabimba are feeling the heat and clinching deals behind the back door with Judges like Philip Musonda
Soon Sata & Kabimba will break down & chaos will break loose upon Satae House
These guys just wasted their opportunity of being accepted by Zambians and they mistook that for being told to be dictators and torturers of Zambians
Soon Sata & Kabimba will act like the way UNIP Dictator did in 1988 & 1990, Releasing General Christone Tembo from treasonable cases as a result of being? UNDER PRESSURE
When Zambians loved Mmembe & Nchinto because of their fighting for injustices, they both mistook that for they being pompous, now very soon Membe & Nchinto will break down & act like? UNDER PRESSURE
If not. They may end up being? SHOT DEAD!
Iwe Shaka, just zip it. This government is a listening one, it is not about pressure.
Good decision.Let us save that money for better things.
Good the parasite is finally being starved of its nutrients. Time to conclude and come up with credible solutions. If they have to work all nighters then so be it. But they shouldn’t get a single dime from GRZ
Good decision….there must be an end to every thing. You can’t eat and eat and eat and eat. My advise to the technical committee is that this was not full time job..I believe you hav made enough to start some living.
We have been having people working on the institution for years putting money in their pockets with no substance of work done. Finish this June and no more extensions.
I never expected Sata & Kabimba & Nchinto & Mmembe to misuse Zambians love for them
Now these guys have injured Zambians and are in for real troubles
No lying will help u Kabimba. The fact of the matter; your darlings NAWAKWI, BWALYA, BISHOP MAMBO, NAREP President & a lot of others have hard feelings for u and will never forgive u
These are the people who will be in the forefront to prosecute Nchinto, Mmembe, Sata & Kabimba
I forgot RED LIPS Edgar Lungu. He was hallucinating that he cannot worry about international partners.
Edgar Lungu was the first one to raise the WHITE FLAG when KCM threatened to move out of Zambia; he said Govt cannot repossess the mines
Unfortunately reality is here to stay; SOON INVESTORS WILL STOP COMING TO ZAMBIA AS A RESULT OF PF bad governance
We dont eat investors!! We can still go back to the land and cultivate.Give credit where it is due…dont just oppose even if there is something positive.
Atase, shut up you i.d.i.o.t. I mean ci Shaka Oz. We mbwawe tiye uko koswe iwe. Ulecindika ubuteko makaka iwe. You are just a bitter person who is envious of others. S.w.i.n.e. kabwa, to hell.
#10.1 Paolo Di Canio
U are a senseless latin animal with faces on your anus!
No wonder your headless chicken animal PF President Sata is being booed everywhere he is going like he was in Adis Ababa in Ethiopia.
Surely u are living on stolen money while real Zambians are dying of hunger and preventable diseases.
Sata just hides his urinal bags under his small penis.
It pains to see your headless clueless animal teasing Zambians that they can live in the bush.
U need to be arrested even where u are, where your relatives have stashed money their stolen money from the govt.
The USA govt should hand u over to the hague.
I will present my complaint on behalf of my fellow Zambians who are suffering.
You need your psychotic head checked u chimpanzee even in your head
If I were Idi Amin, I would make these constitution makers pay back what they have pocket so far for their failure to deliver a constitution in time as scheduled. If not I would punish them so that they realise that their unregard to draining of national funds endlessly.
Just discussing, re-discussing, writing and rewriting what people have already told you over and over cannot not take you extension after extension of deadlines of completion date. Meanwhile ever demanding more pay into you bottomless pocket! You really know how to nicely sink funds in Lusaka, hey, whilst other areas of the country are complaining of under development! How long and how short has such process taken in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Egypt, Angola, etc? Why should our case be so endless? The thinking must be crazy. Is it about those allowances or what is it that is so beyond our comprehension and a nation, really? If I had a way I would definitely discipline someone for spending beyond budget and for perpetual extending beyond deadlines.
They say “everything has got time” this constitution thing should come to an end by 30th June 2013.
What a good move by our government!! These are the bold decisions that we would like to hear from the government.Congarets Wynter.
If u are not stead u will come out as u did in Rwanda where u participated in the killing of innocent Tutsi people.
No wonder your imbecile Roman Catholic child molester Telesphord Mpundu has kept quiet when Zambians are suffering and dying like in Rwanda where roman catholics like u animal participated in the killing of Tutsi.
U do not learn u Roman genocide killers
Even your Pope participated in the killing of the people who fought the military dictators in Argentina.
The previous Pope participated in the killings of innocent Jews in Germany.
When are u Roman Catholics going to learn to stop your murderous treacherous ways of evil living?
When the communists where persecuting people in Cuba & USSR u kept quiet & participated behind the scenes while pretending
May the soul of George Kunda SC rest in peace….!
Well done Ba Winter!!!! Zambians, please lets change our mindsets and save the much needed resources for developmental programmes! Mind you, Govt money is not mana from heaven but hard earned taxpayer money! When we are given tasks by the govt, lets do them like we are doing our own programmes! Shame on you the Technical comittee!!!!!!! To the oppositon, please serve us from your never ending unecessary criticism! Give credit where its due!!!!!!
Thanks Wynter. You have spoken in season. We can’t have endless projects in the country and expect to develop the nation.
Thumbs up to President Sata and his government for this one.
I am looking forward for Creditable Zambians to reject this unfinished constitution during referendum. PF you promised to give us a finished constitution within 90 days and it is almost Sept 30-sept 2012- one year + 9 months. so in the next six months 44 billion. Addmaths at work. if 0.5=44, 1.75= ~(44+44+44+22)=154 billion. PaZed pali mahalf???????/ Referendum 1 billion billion and Zambians reject it……Drama
If these guys can disobey a court order:why bother with the constitution?
Good decision ba PF! I have the sneaking suspicion though that your response is as a result of the government coffers being in negative balance.But thumbs up for not wasting more money.Please provide a legal framework and we are all good to go.
Good move but government is broke and had overspent they can’t afford to waste anymore money unless it’s for a by election
Good move Hon. Kabimba…this is very good a stance and it will serve as a serious warning to all who are charged with the responsibility to deliver different assignments on behalf of the Government ( despite the attractive allowances ). Further, it will prove to our critics that we can deliver within the realm of our pronouncements. Thumbs up Sir bwana SG!
that’s good p.f how long does it take these people to make constitution? they should’ve be done by now with all that money they were given. One of the problems in Zambia we love talking and no action.
The current constitution is fine just needs adjustments such as elections, we don’t need first came the post but rather majority rules(50% +1), then if there’s no clear winner we either get coalition government or will have ran of between the top 3 or 2 candidates.
For me that main issue, we cant have minority rule, it makes leaders lazy. Another issue, i hope we get is that they change bye-election rules such that if you defect, you aren’t
allowed to ran for the same post and that the parliament can remove president through a vote of no confidence.
Mr. Kabimba on this one I totally agree with you. We have had so many postponement of the final draft which is gobbing a lot of tax payers money without any tangible results. On this one you are right
We needed consequences for constitutional makers for failure to deliver on time within given resources. Without consequences we have witnessed how they can so easily and steadily suck the state of funds! I have no kind words for these technocrats who have more or less focused draining national coffers over and over for the same job which in other countries has been achieved in six months, sometimes less than that. WE SHALL APPRECIATE THE DOCUMENT but we know even after lining their pockets at the expense of other activities, the same constitution will not address everything in total, they will just give partial solutions. Another govt will come and change it. So whats the point of extensions and more money to misspend?
Constitution making team be serious with what you are doing. Don’t change goal posts every time you feel like. Remember, there is use of public funds that have a budget! When you are given time frame you should abide to that or else we may think that you just want more money in your pockets or you have failed. I used to support you when the process started, but now the zeal has been diluted and we are even losing confidence in your promises. It is now a game of football where we do not know if we shall ever win!!!!!
l know there is wanton criticism of PF and Hon Kabimba in particular but l believe Mr Kabimba is a good example of what it means to uphold collective responsibility principles .l think he just expresses central committee views, so don’t hate him for articulating party views. Also despite the hate campaign against H.E Mr Sata,something tells me he may silence his critics at the end of 5 five years with his achievements.K.K my hero can not support a leader who will destroy Zambia.By the way my dream is to meet KK one day to thank him for peace and free education.
A.M
These men and women should be charged for embezzlement should they fail to finish the constitution by 30 June. They MUST be made to payback the NEXT six months of the time they are requesting for. It’s too much. We need to have checks and balances now.
For once in his sordid life Hitler has made sense, and shame on the Technical Committee for moving at a snails pace in order to blow more money.
NONSENSE! Utter nonsense! Only in zambia would you thank someone for saying please deliver a half baked constitution. A country and its f00ls are soon parted.
I don’t even know what I am doing on this blog. You guys know what time it is?
I WILL NEVER COME BACK TO ZAMUNDA!!
And no one gonna miss you!!!!!!
What games do you play out there? Catch the monkey?
No, we play “kill the racist”!!!!
Why don’t you go F@#K yourself you inbred little devil!!!!
Good bwana Kabimba!
A Constitutional making process shouldn’t be treated like one those UN (United Nations) process that takes forever to conclude. Drafting a Constitution shouldn’t be treated like fulltime/permanent employment. Be done with it so the Country can move on!
You have had more than a year to compile what Zambians have already said they want their Constitution look like. So what’s the problem?
Shaka OZ @ 10.3. You really are a bitter dude. Bitterness is harmful to your health
@yamba2, first off I will square you up and then round you up and stick my boot where the sun don’t shine. You mess with me bitch ar53 n1gg3r then you mess with my whole family do hear? You wanna trade ear bashing vibes with me punk mutherfu7cker? Then you got another thing coming.
@yamba2, first off I will square you up and then round you up and stick my boot where the sun don’t shine. You mess with me b1tch ar53 n1gg3r then you mess with my whole family do hear? You wanna trade ear bashing vibes with me punk mutherfu7cker? Then you got another thing coming.
Get lost you piece of sh!t!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get lost you piece of sh!t!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ yamba. Atlanta I bet is where your punk ar5e is? I will send my homies to smoke u out of there with our glocks flipping wanker!