The Technical Committee drafting the constitution has assured that it will conclude its work on 31st October 2013.
The Committee is however not sure when the document will be handed over to the President and the Public simultaneously as it can only be decided by the executive.
Technical Committee spokesperson Ernest Mwansa said the committee has received the report and the final draft from the editors who were tasked to proof read the document.
And Mr. Mwansa has disclosed that the technical committee starts its sittings tomorrow to look at the recommendations that have been made by the editors.
He was speaking in Lusaka this afternoon when UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema paid a courtesy call on the technical committee at its secretariat.
Meanwhile,Mr. Mwansa said the technical committee has so far spent slightly over K100 million on the constitution making process.
And Mr. Mwansa said the technical committee has made changes to the bill of rights and will recommend to government that a referendum on the constitution be held.
He however emphasized that whatever happens to the document after it has been handed over to President Sata and the Public is none of its business as its mandate ends on 31st October 2013.
And UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema said lack of a definitive time to conclude the process is a source of concern to members of the public.
He said the escalating cost of the constitution making process is also raising concerns hence the need for the committee to conclude its works quickly
This is a good example of being a responsible citizen. This constitution “debacle” has taken forever. I am sure some of us will die and our children will be left with the burden of implementing something that is inherently owed to us. This should not only be HH’s concern but every one of us. We need to offer checks and balances as citizens. Other people in other countries kill each other over constitutions. I think we zambians have taken a Laissez-faire attitude when it comes to political issues that are of grave importance to the country’s future and present well being. The deadline we should all fight for is “implementation of a new constitution before the next elections”
“He however emphasized that whatever happens to the document after it has been handed over to President Sata and the Public is none of its business as its mandate ends on 31st October 2013.” – what a selfish and lazy statement to make. clearly only money motivates zambians.
I just love HH without him, this country would have gone to the dogs with these incompetent PF thugs
@ Octopu…Say you yoself loves HH coz not all of us are gays to be in love with ka hh….So use your annnus lotion with yo hunder five + juju dickks tonganyoko cows,never use the term WE…. matherfacka nangu in Tonga(Jitanyoko)
@ Octopu…Say you yoself loves HH coz not all of us are gays to be in love with ka hh….So use your annnus lotion with yo hunder five + juju dickks tonganyoko cows,never use the term WE…. matherfacka nangu in Tonga(Jitanyoko)…
I now understand why the nurses and local government workers were on strike last time.
Sata and his cabinet have increased their salaries by 146% between April
2012 and September 2013.
When Sata came to power he increased his pay by about 126% from K164,000 to K372,000. Then again this year he has increased his pay by about 10% from K372,000 to K414,406 .In addition to this his personal allowance is now about K108,000.
The politicians have decided to increase their salaries so that come next year the wage freeze will not affect them.
Clearly PF in are government to put more money in their pockets not in the majority of the Zambians ‘ pockets.
Haleisa Haleisa 2016
Let HH not pretend to be concerned when he just wants the technical committees to conclude the process in double time so he can have something to condemn & gain some mileage since am told his vehicle hasn’t hammered more than 100,000 KM in political mileage.
where is your brain?
Where is my brain? …Well that is as good as asking yo mum which hoe did she use to drop you?…So before you gotta ask ,ask where is the wife(Bana HH) to hh since claim she is the 1st lady in the waiting???
Please go see a fecking psychiatrist, you need some urgent mental help!
from your language,i can tell that your brain is not housed in your heard.you even accuse octopus of using the word “we”,well i went through octopus coment a thousand times and couldn’t see it.are you on cocain or tujilijili?
@Heleisa Halenya
Slow down and tone down on your language .Learn to raise sensible issues not hate through out.
Believe me ,you are at risk of committing suicide the moment HH becomes president. Never say never,there is Sata today in state house after most of wrote him off.
You are sick and surely need serious help! I mean do you still have a conscious! Do you still pay attention to you inner voice that tells you not to do wrong! May the Lord Help You and Have Mercy on You!
My Bro you are sick ok.
Dont feed the troll people
its cheap political millage, Haleisa Halenya is not fit to rule, maybe bu headman in his kraal
as far as iam concerned,there are only four contentious issues which every interested zedian must place his eyes on(1)homosexaulity(2)50+1%(3)presidential running mate(4)christian nation clause.do we need a referendum for the straight forward isues highlightened above?mind you a referendum wil goble up colosal sums of ngwees.lets just use the money to pay our reterees,arvs,farmers,council workers etc
Sorry, dude. First of all, if the four things you list ARE contentious that is exactly why there SHOULD BE a referendum (….unless maybe you believe Zambian people are not qualified to make an informed decision on how they are governed?). Second, if you think those four things are the ONLY things that matter – never mind balance of power between Parliament, Executive, and Judiciary, term limits, the death penalty, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, right to privacy, the voting age, right to a fair trial, etc. you are really missing the point of a constitution. Third, if you don’t get these things right forget about quality government every being there to pay for ARVs, farmers, retirees, etc. – just expect more squabbles and corruption.
We need a constitutional clause limiting presidential contenders to only those holding a degree from recognized instutions.That will be good riddance for zambia of clueless village clowns driving zambia into the pit like it is today.
You r very much right dawg, but they must also restrict contesting or standing as a presidential candidate not more than twice after being rejected two times…..
@4 enka,
ati degree holder only to be presidents, baice imwe! these degrees mufolafye. Grade 12 leakage, degree leakage …. What are you talking about? I ll fight such discrminatory laws.
You want HH to be given presidency not voted for since he is used to been given things.
Former US president ronald reagan had no degree yet among best US presidents.
Ba Enk? aya mano yakumushi!!
I totally agree with HH. It is my view that if every Zambian were to pressurise our governance the constitution would not only be ready before 2015 but would contain all the good clauses zambians want to be there. The PF would definitely make political mileage and make history. HH is spot on as usual. Let other opposition and civil society leaders put pressure. The Technical Committee should conclude now.
you *****s dont you have a better pcture for the future president.
I’m certain that PF intellectuals are just hoping that HH and other like minded Zambians will continue to pressurise the government and the technical Committee to expeditiously deal with the constitution because its successful conclusion will be a formidable campaign tool against the opposition. This should however, not discourage HH from pressing on as h should have the interests of the majority of Zambians who at the moment have no voice. What with thugs called cadres breathing on their necks and a watchful prof ruling party police ready to pounce on them with one charge or the other. HH is sacrificing, what with so many changes on him. But we need the checks and balances please.
Just thinking. Any civil servant must at least have a full grade 12 certificate, thus mandatory and to at least a degree to be an officer not even a three year diploma.
So why do same cabinet office allow diplomats with grade 7 certificate who are civil servants by employment to posted in diplomatic mission. Worse ministers without qualifications?Even a president? is this law not contradictory?
I was thinking of taking the government to task for accepting non qualified personel to be civil servants. if this is the case let civil servants also opt to be MPs
Thumbs up HH. I hated you from the time they picked for UPND presidency based on tribal line. I’m now beginning to think otherwise because i like the checks and balances that you are giving the government of the day. How i wish other Political leaders and civil society leaders were pushing the government like the way you have started doing. I know you made a wise decision to embrace a wise man from the East and made him vice president of the party. Now he has brought the knowledge to the party.
Baadala sunu mwaseka? I am glad to see a smile on your face bwana!
l didn’t realise his teeth were that bad!!!
What has happened to his teeth. Too much eating meat? good smile
I enjoy reading Lusaka times whenever I have got time but the comments I get from some bloggers make sad reading. What’ s the point of insulting or using vulgar language against an individual ? Differing on political views does not mean enmity neither does it warrant use of insults and vulgar language whatsoever. it’ s vital to learn to respect other people’ s views and opinions just as they should do the same to yours. Insulting and use of vulgar language does not reflect/ denote or define proper reasoning. It reflects one’ s weakness in analysing issues and failure to come up with conclusive solutions/ points or reasons with substance. In our society, we don’ t accommodate such behaviour as this is totally unacceptable.
Good move HH
worrying name you have
@haleisa halenya pliz insult me as well as much as u could and mek me laf,the bottom line is you are an illegai immigrant in america i can sense that,you are uncultured,illiterate and ‘ uneducated’ person you are,i wondwer how just found yourself there,mwaponene uko pa buloshi tata,cant waste my energy on u,you cant differentiate politics and civil rights
Don’t bother about me. I have a syphilistic brain. I was born to a prostitute mother who passed on the disease to me. I am a mental patient. Please just pray for me.
I think the level of mis information just escalates when you are in the diaspora.. yangu mwe!
@Heleisa. Your comments are awful and appallingly shocking! Swallow your saliva my brother. Nobody has disparaged you but look at your reaction.
HH is right to put pressure for the conclusion of this process. It is now exactly 10 full years since PLM flagged it off in 2003. Lets finish what we started now!
is this fool haleisa halenya normal? u dont use such vulgar, uncivilised language 4 public dormain
If only I could be conviced UPND is not tribalist. I think ku joiner fye Mulongoti nomba. You cant have blogers with the same string of thinking standing on the mountain calling everyone passing by as a Bemba,tribalist, kaponya, kawalala, whatever comes in mind. This is lunacy! Even Lozis dont behave like this despite ukubanyunya barotseland.
Thanks HH for paying them a visit.At the moment constitution-making is a cardinal issue which you should monitor very carefully.Apart from the huge sums of money which are being spent on it,Zambia will only be a truly free nation when a people-driven constitution is enacted.And it won’t happen until opposition leaders pressurize the PF to follow what the people proposed to be included in the new constitution.This country will never eliminate the current PF corruption and dictatorial tendencies until a good constitution is in place.Currently,there’s too much power concentrated in the hands of the republican president,hence the lack of human rights and the resultant misrule.
In any case,we have reached a stage when it’s imperative for the UPND and MMD to cooperate in this exercise.