Non-Governmental Coordinating Council (NGOCC) board secretary Grace Manyonga says stakeholders are panicking with the continued existence of the technical committee which was appointed to draft the country’s constitution.
Ms Manyonga questioned the technical committee’s continued existence when they have completed their work.
She explained that the terms of reference were that once they completed with drafting the constitution they hand over the document to both the president and the public but wondered why they have continued to exist when their job is done.
She said the committee should hand over the document to the executive and the public and be disbanded as their continued existence is a cost to the tax payers and that their work was completed 4 months ago.
“We are panicking because immediately the technical committee completed its work of drafting the constitution it should have been released to all of us so why are they keeping it for 4 months? This is were the panic is “.
“Our fear is, are they doctoring it? Because this document we all subscribe to it through the various process so yes we are panicking and we are fearful”.
She further wondered were government officials had seen certain closes in the draft constitution which they have been commenting on when the document has not been released yet.
“We are hearing conflicting statements from the party in government that they don’t want certain things that are contained in the draft constitution which makes one wonder if the have received the document”.
Meanwhile Ms Manyonga called on the public to take keen interest in the affairs of the country and ensure that people running the country account for their actions.
She said people should not only vote and forget about providing the necessary checks and balances to the party in office.
“It is not enough for people to just vote every 5 years and forget about their responsibility of ensuring that the people they put in office account for their decisions and promises, there is need for everyone of us to ensure that these people deliver on their promises, its our social responsibility”. Ms Manyonga said
She further reiterated that stakeholders will use every channel and platform available to demand for the constitution as long as they will not be causing anarchy.
And political activist Dante Saunders said the fight for the release of the constitution is for everyone in the country.
He said Civil Society Organizations, Churches and other stakeholders can only help in directing how the public should go about the process of demanding for the constitution but the fight was for every Zambian to participate in as the document belongs to them.
He said waiting for document to be released by government is a waste of time as the PF are determined to continue ignoring the demands of the people as can be concluded from the statements that senior party and government officials have been making.
“We call on everyone to participate in this crusade because without people’s participation Dante Saunders, the NGOs, the Churches, we are wasting our time” Mr Saunders said.
And Mr Saunders said he will never see eye to eye with republican president Michael Sata due to the many broken promises that the president made to the people.
He said he campaigned for president Sata during the 2011 election campaigns because he believed that president Sata would give the people the constitution once elected into office but like many others was deceived.
Mr Saunders further advised the PF not to be delusional in thinking that the people are not ready to have their constitution.
He said people do not need the PF to give them their constitution because they don’t need permission from anyone to give themselves a document that will ensure that everyone is protected.
The duo said this when they featured on Muvi TV’s the Assignment program on Sunday.
Not this constitution again 🙁
Thanks
Walasa Mama, no wonder Kabimba and the group keep saying the draft has not been handed over, considering the rate of corruption in Zambia these guys have been oiled to prepare another draft document approved by by Kabimba.
Okay twaishiba nomba, we all know the main points which should be the the people’s document. You are wasting your time Mr President or whatever they call you.
Seriously, are you retarded? Some of your comments are out of this world!
I have no doubt that the PF govt will deliver on a people driven constitution. PF has not refused to give the people a new constitution
This new people driven constitution will stand the test of time and will form part of Sata’s legacy and will definitely propel the PF govt to a whole new level
The few disgruntled individual that are making noise over this document as if its their personal document that has been grabbed away from them and shredded to pieces do not represent or resonate with the general feeling of the majority of the people in the country
People say America this America that….. Obama has arrival the Ntherlands and Begium today has made me see and view these western European nations on a totally different spectrum! People am telling you nachilila, from the Beast to Marine one motor cades, for the first time elo namonapo ubututu bwa musungu….. I cant describe it, fitutu bad!
aka Cindy. Ubututu mwa musungu? just because they went to see Obama. Meanwhile you are enjoying the fruits of their labour. Umututu niwe with your uncle who has failed to develop the country you have run away from.
@ Mann,
You only have to experience the scene to understand my statement, otherwise, my uncle is not bad after all, VIVA PF VIVA UNcle Sata 2016 here we come!
@ Mann,
Fruits of their labour? Am enjoying fruits of my Labour!
Come 2016, all the thieves stealing our tax payers money will pay back 🙁
red lipped snakes,scorpions, lizards name them, is the composition of govt in the animal kingdom called zambia. sata is really a clueless hyena, so the saying goes. even if they doctor it, time is the biggest equalizer. soon and very soon, favour will start tilting to the other side. people like kambwili have very short ‘sell by date’
Looks like this new constitution has brought a lot of paranoia in some people.People are now even fearing their own shadows.
Hello everyone,
Much as Im eager for the new constitution, speculation to smear the committee is not the way forward. Until such a time that we have the constitution released, its ok for the committee to continue its existence. It will be imperative though for them to give a report on activities following the submission of the draft, if only to justify any funds paid to them for the period covering submission of draft to final document.
I wonder wht goes on in our Mudala Sata’s mind.
Viva Zambia go Forward.
Its just a small portion of people who are making noise and exaggerating on the constitution.PF did not say they will not give people the constitution they know importance of it.Its only a few individuals who wants confusion has part of their life who are making noise.We know what good things PF is doing.
Good luck.
Only surgical constitutional reforms last weeks or months. This was the case with the Mfunga Commission. It was a matter reversing the clause that established the One Party State. When changes are multifaceted, including certain controversial clauses, then it takes a bit of time. In the case of France, it took a long time to eventually cut the presidential term from seven to five years. No one in his right senses demanded four year mandates, like in the Unites States.
I thought this issue was dead!! wasnt it ”handed over” to the appropriate people?
Taxpayers money is on the line here. Let them continue their existence but we need accountability for every ngwee that they recieve after handover of draft.
I will stick to the leakage because the government confirmed in their words that it is right one. What are looking for when the document is all over? PF leaked the document to test the waters. Mama and your just find a way of using your platform to tell the government to use our money and print hard copies.
PF is just a bundle of erratic criminals and are only stealing for a limited time. 29 months left. Everyone should heed Mr Saunders testimony and take a step further in downing PF lies.
The Demo should be in motion right now because talking has proved futile with the lunacy of PF at the helm.
Constitution !????????????????
usually patience pays wait for your document it shall be delivered, any degree of dispondency will be met with equal but opposite force tell your sandles what ever his name is.Sekeletion ne mindful of the things you wish for.Am abit busy this month i just laugh at your wishful thinking.LIBONGANI get busy we promote sanity.
What is this Document everyone is making noise about ? You just have to be patient. If it doesn’t come out now , then Haleisa Haleisa will print it for us in 2016.
NGOCC SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT CHARITY MWANZA’S INDECENT EXPOSURE AT A BEAUTY PAGEANT AS REPORTED ON FRONT PAGE POST NEWSPAPER Today.
Am sure our police are awaiting instructions to arrest Charity and the organisers of the pageant..