Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the press.
I am delighted to have this rare honor and opportunity to speak to the inhabitants of our great country-Zambia, through you.
Recently, the Patriotic Front government through its chief spokesperson honorable Chishimba Kambwili unveiled its proposed constitution roadmap to the nation. This being a landmark declaration in the constitution making process, automatically invited views and opinions from other stakeholders. This is what is referred to as “checks” and “balances” in a normally functioning democracy. I am certain that the nation is eager to hear a viable alternative from United Party for National Development [UPND] on this matter.
FAILURE TO LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES
It is interesting to note that the Patriotic Front [pf] government commenced the current constitutional making process without a budget, a legal framework nor a roadmap. Clearly the seeds of failure that would suffocate the process in future were sown at the genesis.
Proposing a roadmap mid-way of a constitution making process is like putting the cart before the horses. It is illogical sequencing, typical of ‘chipante pante’ behavior.
It is becoming evidently clear with each passing day that the roadmap unveiled by the new PF government is a proposal to pursue a path of partial amendments to the constitution. Chief government spokesperson honourable Chishimba Kambwili is quoted as having uttered the following during his press briefing of 18thfebruary 2015,’it is for this reason that government, finds it more realistic to have popular demand provisions, of the Final Draft Constitution of the Silungwe Constitution Technical Committee that do not need a referendum, be incorporated in the Constitution by amending the current Constitution. This is not only cheap but faster, considering that the elections are not very far. Through Parliament, all the provisions in the current Constitution that need to be changed can be changed, leaving out the Bill of Rights (Part 3) and Article 79 of the current Constitution.
[pullquote]Zambia does not have a problem with voter apathy; it has a challenge with voter fatigue. Show me a country that has over 32 by-elections in 3 years and I will show you a fatigued electorate[/pullquote]
The path being proposed by the ‘new’ PF government is not alien to Zambia. It was tried before under the leadership of Rupiah Bwezani Banda in 2011 and it proved to be a waste of both time and resources. Pursuing the enactment of a new constitution using Rupiah’s failed strategy is a sure sign of insanity. Remember the old adage, ‘insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result.’ It is sad that the Edgar Chagwa Lungu led PF leadership cannot see beyond its nose and is prepared to lead the nation back to the circle of failed constitution making processes of yesteryears.
It is surprising to note that Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the self-confessed visionless leader who had promised to stick like a tick to late president Sata’s vision has abandoned it in less than 90days of ascending to the presidency. Today it crystal clear that Edgar Chagwa Lungu celebrates Rupiah’s vision and tolerates Sata’s vision. One cannot escape the conclusion that the current head of state has been taken ‘hostage’ by the former head of state.
ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION
Let me begin by assuring the nation that the government in waiting [UPND] totally supports the need to have a Constitution that is people driven and that must be adopted through a referendum and not through parliament.
In considering the adoption of the constitution through a national referendum, we need to comment on government’s feeble excuse of time. Our quick comments are as follows:
1. The Patriotic Front have had five years in which to enact a people driven constitution. Surely this period is sufficient for a project such as this one. Failure to complete an important national project such as this one in five years only points to one’s lack of competences and skills. It does not justify the use of failed short cuts.
2. Zimbabwe our great neighbour has demonstrated that, where there is political will, seemingly difficult challenges can be overcome. In the same year, Zimbabwe held both the national referendum to enact a constitution and a general election to elect its national leadership.
3. It is our considered view that only an irresponsible government majors on the time it has lost (spilt milk) when it still has 18 months of its mandate to fulfill.
THE ISSUE OF COSTS
Another important matter to address is that of cost. The Patriotic Front in their quest to frustrate the citizenry has advanced the issue of cost as a deterrent to having a new people driven constitution. Let us examine this excuse and see whether it holds.
As a general rule, authority and responsibility go together, like hand and glove. In simple terms, one only exercises authority where he has responsibility. For instance a parent exercises authority only over the household he provides for. Through an election the PF have been given authority to preside over the affairs of our nation and have therefore the responsibility to find resources to meet the country’s expenses.
We are aware that since ascending to power the PF has induced more than 30 unnecessary parliamentary by-elections. Had the PF been prudent, this resource would have better been used on the constitution making process. We also know that, had the PF acted swiftly to enact a people driven constitution, the huge costs incurred by the nation during the 20th January 2015 elections would have been avoided.
Clearly, what is lacking is not the financial resource but the political will to see the project through. We are also aware that some donor countries have committed to fund the cost of the referendum should the Zambian government ask for it.
In conclusion, on the question of reaching the 50% referendum threshold, the UPND is totally convinced that this feat can be achieved. First it is important to note that this country has held a referendum before, and the threshold was met in 1969. So unlike the partial amendment route, the referendum route has a precedence of success.
Zambia does not have a problem with voter apathy; it has a challenge with voter fatigue. Show me a country that has over 32 by-elections in 3 years and I will show you a fatigued electorate.
The UPND believes that the challenge of voter fatigue can be overcome by investing more energy in explaining the benefits of the new constitution to the electorates.
We believe that it is a lack of leadership to exhibit traits of a fear monger and preach doom on the referendum like chief government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili is doing. A leader ought to inspire and not scare people from participating in constitutional processes.
In the spirit of rescuing the constitution making process from the quagmire of stagnation and moving the country forward, the UPND would like to inform the nation that it will be adding more militancy than diplomacy to its strategy for the enactment of a new constitution.
We will use all democratic means available to pile pressure on the Patriotic Front government till the battle for the enactment of a new constitution is won for the betterment of our country.
Kuchunga Simusamba
Deputy Secretary General -Politics
___________________________
UPND Information (PI Dept)
I like the line : Zambia does not have a problem with voter apathy; it has a challenge with voter fatigue. Show me a country that has over 32 by-elections in 3 years and I will show you a fatigued electorate…You are spot on there!
Quote of the month!!!
The truth of the matter is that UPND wants PF to fail delivering the Constitution.
That way they will use is it as a campaign slogan to tell the nation that PF has failed to deliver the constitution.
Vote for UPND and we promise you to deliver the Peoples Constitution.
Going by the article above – one can clearly see the glimpses of double standards from this chap.
It was RB’s faulty who implored unprecedented electoral malpractice this Country has ever seen. Should that go without being punished, God forbid. Corrupt Politicians should know that electoral malpractice will not be left scot free and desist from the scourge. Otherwise it would be a free fo all situation and this Country would surpass Ni geri a in no time
U5.fuel yasila p maloboti. How can you ran a country.
What a seasoned politician we have here! Why why mother Zed do we have to go through all this? Please mwebantu namipapata uyu mukulo uleisa mukavote ifyamano not ifyabula kumutwe, ifya madongo-madongo.
There is nothing new contained in the press release. usual politicking
Dont try to hoodwink the country that you mean well after publishing a govt constitution road map and claiming it was your own.
show us, and the country what you have under your tribal sleeve
you are such a shameless tribal masonists.
shame on you and your entire tribal leadership
WISE WORDS! I QUOTE: WE WILL USE ALL DEMOCRATIC MEANS AVAILABLE TO PILE PRESSURE ON PATRIOTIC FRONT GOVERNMENT TILL THE BATTLE FOR ENACTMENT OF A NEW CONSTITUTION IS WON FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY. END QUOTE. THIS AWESOME. UPND IS GROWING BIGGER AND BIGGER! I LOVE THIS COURAGE AND DETERMINATION. NOW THIS IS WHAT WE CALL GOOD LEADERSHIP QUALITIES. VIVA UPND VIVA! VIVA HH VIVA!
We are fatigued by this party that has lost for the 4 th time.
Let Mweetwa take over at least he can smile than the stone faced sunny chintombwa with his go black hair. Garry Nkombo the godfather of insults and the useless candida Banda ,give us a break its Sunday.
When Mweetwa (or Nkombo) takes over, you’re the same characters who will stand up and say “Look UPND has been taken over by another Tonga“.
@Robin: TYPICAL OF PF THINKING: LACK OF REASONING AND CAPACITY TO THINK, HENCE WHERE WE ARE AS A NATION. WE HAVE BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK IN THE WORLD SINCE PF WAS VOTED INTO POWER.
THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY WAS TO REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKE THIS YEAR TO VOTE AGAIN FOR THE SAME USELESS PEOPLE WITH NO CAPACITY TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD. UP TO NOW I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW REASONABLE AND SENSIBLE PEOPLE CAN VOTE AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT A PERSON WHO PERSONNALY CONFESSED THAT HE WAS SICK AND THAT HE WAS VISIONLESS.
For sure and whoever has told them that hh their magic man would turn things around over night. They are so hypnotised shame on the up n dn
Just amend the clause to avoid by elections as a matter of urgency.
All the Politicians in the all wide world are just an “F” students. One good example, the can never differential between Campaigning and Leading. You all take the Taxpayers for granted, I wish you……….
Mr Simusamba on the 50% referendum threshold, you say this was achieved in 1969. Was the situation obtaining in 1969 the same as what is obtaining today? In 1969 Zambian people were excited to go and vote. Those not excited enough were forced. In South Africa, the 1st elections which saw Mandela come into power had the highest number of voters participating. All subsequent elections have had fewer participants than the previous one. There are no by elections in South Africa so what is causing this voter apathy? YOUR VIEW THAT VOTER APATHY IS DUE TOO MANY BY ELECTIONS IS TO SIMPLISTIC AND CHILDISH. Past general elections have shown that fewer than 50% of registered voters turn up to vote. Suppose we hold a referendum and fewer than 50% turn up, what next?BA SIMUSAMBA MUKAZI SAMBA PLEASE
@MWINE MUNZI: I HAVE READ THE STATEMENT BY UPND AND I HAVE FOUND IT TO BE SENSIBLE AND OBJECTIVE. ON THE OTHER HAND IT IS YOUR COMMENT WHICH I HAVE NOT ONLY DESPICABLE AND CHILDISH BUT UNREASONABLE AND SENSILESS.
I AGREE WITH MR SIMUSAMBA THAT IF PEOPLE ARE TOLD THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REFERENDUM THEY WILL TURN UP ENMASS TO VOTE, ESPECIALLY IF THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION MEETS THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE. IF THEY TURNED UP ENMASS IN 1991 TO VOTE FOR CHANGE, THEY CAN DO IT AGAIN AS THE MOTIVATION FACTOR WILL BE THERE. THERE IS APATHY IN VOTING IN SOUTH AFRICA BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF THE ANC.
#Mwine Munzi, chipuba-ichipuwa. He has been brain washed by the Poor Finishers party and henceforth can not reason properly no matter how sensible you advise-I bet his daily bread and butter comes as a result of boot licking the PF as a small diplomat in some tiny country!
Mr Simusamba has presented a long history of the PF in power with the usual insults BUT in substance he has failed to tell us where the funding will come from in the next 18 months for a nationwide referendum. The Parliamentary route seems cost effective and practicable.
Remember the old adage” insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result”
However a new adage goes like this ” insanity is featuring the same candidate hh over and over while expecting different results”
UPND is not expecting different results. They are expecting the same result as they have always expected unfortunately.
It actually happened to Sata and several other people. Sorry I will not support you on this.
Sponge, so you mean when Sata was allowed to contest in 2001, 2006, 2008 and 2011, it was insanity? Infact, had he not kicked the bucket, he would have stood again and again. How is Mugabe doing it? Think before writing. The sponge head seems to be affecting you.
Amendments are the way to go for now and let’s have the referendum together with the General Election. Just like he has alluded to, there is voting fatigue and PLEASE Carry On waiting to rule!
Kuchunga, you also need a lot of work to explain to the citizenry on the link between good governance and development. Make it simple for the masses to understand by giving practical examples of how some aspects of the current governance system impede development or otherwise limit civil rights- no theorization or technical jargon please, their are many examples from the last 50 years of the country’s existence.
sorry last sentence … there and not their (English is only my forth language)
Infact, ECL promised the Constitution issue will be explored and concluded by 2016. VIVA ECL!!!
Simusamba when are you having your convention to elect a new UPND president for 2016 ? We are tired of voting for HH…..Not salable any more.
Ati Government in waiting, Keep waiting with your tribal strong man!
Ba UPND the best way to handle this constitution issue is to be sober minded. Edgar Lungu is our man to advise and my simple plea is,Lets wait for PF to deliver until 2016.PF is going to give us the constitution before there 5 years elapse.UPND quench ur thirsty for power and wait for your turn.Mind you ur leader az got no govt experience and if given chance to rule,its going to take more than two terms for him to know how to govern the nation. Every time you talk about constitution…..whats ur constitution talking about ur leader HH?is he suppose to continue leading us even after failing to win our country Mother Zambia?money is nt wisdom and knowledge…..HH az been rejected by us voters and the best advise is to go for convention and vote a suitable leader to rule
@lupe: TAKE TIME TO THINK SENSIBLY AND REASONABLY. DON’T JUST YAP RUBBISH. YOU ARE NOT BEING FAIR TO YOUR GREY MATTER AND TO GOD WHO GAVE IT TO YOU.
Are you HH ,the issue of choosing another leader in UPND seems to touch you. GO FOR CONVENTION and choose a good leader not that thief , i have no problem with Tongas but not that Tonga.
why does upnd participates in bye elections if it is fatigued by them. Simusamba should concetrate on finding new president for upnd coz hh the anaconda tonqued ll never win.
UPND and other useless people if you want referendum we ask you to fund the process.We knw you are busy advocating for that because your interest is money.Let the money for the referendum being used to buy drugs n build hospitals
PF IS INDEED A PARTY WHICH THRIVES ON LIES. THEY LIED ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION WHILE IN THE OPPOSITION. THEY PATHETICALLY AND SHAMELESSLY LIED ABOUT SATA’S ILLNESS AND THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO PATHETICALLY AND SHAMELESSLY LIE ABOUT LUNGU’S ILLNESS. THEY SHAMELESSLY AND PATHETICALLY LIE ON EVERYTHING. LYING IS THEIR WAY OF LIFE. IT IS BECOMING ANNOYING AND NAUSEATING.
THE BEST ZAMBIANS CAN DO FOR THEMSELVES IS TO VOTE OUT OF POWER THIS PATHETIC PARTY OF HOPELESS AND BRAINLESS PEOPLE.
Now that your president is sick , who is going to make a discsion on the constitution?
The PF has other people who are able to handle the process. The party does not just rely on one person the way UPND relies on one man show HH. That’s the reason why he brags that he has been funding the party for the past 18 years. He is treated like a god, even from the learned MPs who dare not issue any divergent view. Shame
Getting rich thru privatization commissions and managing a Country are two different things.You cant be President if you have never been even a Councillor or an office orderly in any government system.HH will do well to contest as a Councillor in Nega nega in 2016 and later 2021 he may attempt the Presidency.
Where in the Constitution does it state that you have to have been a Councillor before you can run for the presidency?
@ Justine,
Your Jealous will kill you. work hard and make your own money
Fishing for issues??? Stop wasting our time…..the constitution is no longer a front and centre issue….
Can you imagine… In fact these people cannot find other issues. If not constitution, then it’s DPP issue and the favourite pass time is RB/MMD/EL/PF alliance and how EL is toothless and visionless, Eish….get a new story line. You are the same people who wanted RB to endorse your candidate who even announced at a rally that UPND/HH was going to lift RB’s immunity. So please stop making noise and tell your lies to your gullible supporters and sympathizers who cannot see beyond HH. BTW, why is HH wearing Sata’s clothes and copying his every tactic???? There can only be 1 MCS. HH should stop copying and be an original, claims to get intelligence reports before the President, and remains mute when he is questioned when a few days earlier he was trying to impersonate James Bond.
Zambians must realise that time for politics is now now. The PF must do what is good for this country. We are wasting resources non critical things issues.
This country does not need: bye elections, visiting any country that invite us, sending sicklers out of the country, personal battles turned national, etc
But needs: health facilities for all, jobs for all, schools for all, food for all, good roads and i mean low standard of living.
And i know this is very achivable the moment we stop to be wasteful and say no to mediocrity we are offered by EL and his team. It is a shame that for 25yrs our leader are airlifted to seek medical attention. They will continue dying as long as they are turning a blind eye on God’s people.
Nchimunya are you the only Zambian without eyes to see the roads being done by PF ? have you not heard about the 650 health centers being constructed ? have you been to UTH of late to see the changes taking place ? the several schs ? Give credit where it is due…..not criticizing everything.Job on training for UPND will even worsen the situation.EL was a good choice for Zambia and he is working !
Jane in case you don’t traverse the country that much for 3 months that I did, the roads are already developing pot holes, the health centers need staff and medicines, schools are in dire need of teachers, UTH a transit to memorial parks!
TIED OF WAITING. ZAMBIA WILL WAIT NO MORE! GUY SCOTT WAS BETTER. BA PF NO PLAN. THE WORST EXPERIMENT IN GOVERNANCE! CANT EVEN MAKE SURE WE HAVE PETROL SURE MWE BANTU. ALA BA ZAMBIA TWA SEBANA! VERY VERY EMBARRASSING INDEED! ELYO IFINTU FYA “LUNGUKA”. MWALA DANCER NYAU TUNE. FYA LUNGUKA NO LUNCH TODAY.
FOOLISHNESS AND STUPIDITY HAS overridden in PF and everything is normal to them. The gentleman is SICK
Now what did Simusamba say? Honestly he did not offer any alternative solution at all, or is it that I do not understand English? But not that, after all I hold a distinction in English at Cambridge School Certificate level. Did he say donors are ready to fun? But just recently the Americam and British envoys clarified that it is too expensive and there is no time for the referendum before 2016? So what was Simusamba talking about, somebody help me pliz?
Oh sorry, Simusamba also talked about the time that PF have wasted so far. Ok sir, but can time be reversed?
The only substantive thing he talked about is UPND becoming more militant. The risk there is that the Public Order Act will become attractive just when we thought that HE Edgar was relaxing it. Oh Simusamba please spare us that!!
Free advice bo ndate bo Simusamba, tell your party to find yourselves another leader, HH is leading you on a senseless path of destruction. I can predict for you the mass resignation, or is it defection, of your sensible MPs to other parties soon and I mean soon, at the rate HH is going without internal checks and frank advice from you guys, before 2016 watch this space.
Going by the tone of this hollow statement Zambians can now easily deduce the chaps who always write hate comments against PF and our RepublicanPresident. The chap was so engulfed in this poor and not of substance statement that he even reviewed certain traits he and others who hide behind the keyboard to comment terrible things.
People must be wary of such cheap chaps who are sponsored and take anything from their masters to appear knowledgeable.
We in PF know very well that we will be going to the General Elections in 2016 with retaing power we have so hard worked for and we will focus on important issues that affect the living standards of our people and providing tangible solutions. We are determined to sustainably develop this country for all.
These guys have nothing better to do it seems. Mr Simusamba, would losing the bye election by a wide margin have inflicted lesser brain damage to you guys?
Clearly the thinking of HH and his advisors is severely impaired. Anyone with a contrary view? I doubt it.
MAYBE MUVI TV HAS CONDUCTED ANOTHER BOGUS OPINION POLL SUGGESTING THAT A REFERENDUM WILL REACH THE BENCHMARK OF 50% VOTER TURN OUT.
UPND ARE SCUM AND VERMIN.
THEY STAND AGAINST THE WHOLE OF ZAMBIA. OPPORTUNISTS, LOOKING FOR EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD TO PROJECT THEMSELVES INTO GOV’T.
That is not the conduct of Patriots.
Kitwe yonse yalishiba ati ifintu ni lungu
zambia has too many dull people with brains the size of that of a chicken thus why we ended up with a president like Sata MHSRIP. Zambians change the way you think or you will continue living in poverty
I agree with you bro. too many dunderheads pa zed!!
upnd is the Chief dunderhead. They are pretenders. During the last 20th January, Presi by elections, the PF gave them all the time to comapain. upnd wasted 100 days of campaign by promising the same things that Sata had promised & started implementing. Ka hh got so confused when he witnessed the gatherings even in areas where he did not expect support. hh only condemned Munkombwe’s re union to the Tonga tribe. hh is fake just as Guy Scott described him. After election results, hh kulila fye lyonse ati baiba ama voti. To day he is so confused that he knows that he will never win against PF. Even the prophecy is repeated by many men of God that PF will triumph in 2016. Untill hh apologises to me for the ‘Tonga only to head upnd’ comment, I can’t vote for hh. Change upnd…
…especially in Kitwe
KUCHUUNGA YOU ARE BEING ECONOMICAL WITH THE TRUTH. WHY HAVE YOU NOT MENTIONED THAT IT WAS THE UPND AND PF WHO SABOTAGED THE ENACTMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION IN 2011 JUST BEFORE THE ELECTIONS WHEN THE BILL WAS TAKEN TO PARLIAMENT?
HAD YOUR UNDERFIVE PRESIDENT NOT SABOTAGED IT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD THE 2011 ELECTIONS WITH THE PRESDIENTIAL RUNNING MATE CLAUSE. BUT HH DOES NOT LIKE THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION BECAUSE IT HAS THE REDUCTION OF PRESIDENTIAL POWERS. DO NOT HOOD WINK PEOPLE.AGAIN HH DID NOT WANT TO GET THE CREDIT FOR GETTING A NEW CONSITUTION. FOR HIM HE WANTS UPND TO GET THE GLORY.
START ORGAIZING A COMVENSTION AND GET RID OF HH OTHERWISE ‘CRYING THAT THEY HAVE STOLEN THE LECTION BECAUSE I AM TONGA’ IS WAITING FOR YOU IN 2016 AGAIN.
MEDIOCRE TEAM HH CANNOT SAY ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT SATA. FIRST LET THEM RESPECT THEIR CONSTITUTION BY REPLACING SATANIST HH, THEN WE CAN LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTTUTION AGENDA…..
meant anything good about pf
Can some body please tell me, why do all UPND officials (except i think Cornelius Mweetwa and Garry Nkombo) look dirty all the time starting from the president down to Proud in Garden compound. All of them look scruffy as if they were born from the same mother. Even when it is not campaign time, they all look like they are coming from a campaign trail in Luano District. Improve on your outlook or else this could just be one of the many reason WE DON’T VOTE FOR YOU.
If by dirty you are referring to the dark skin tone, which seems to be obvious, then ask God for creation is his prerogative. Discuss the issue at hand.