THE Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) has expressed disappointment at the behavior by some political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs) and individuals who want to sabotage the constitution making process.
ZCSD Executive Director Lewis Mwape said yesterday that the CSO and political party leaders must have some level of integrity even when their souls have been sold off to the devil.
“We have observed that those in power enjoy a flawed constitution and perceives that it will enable them to hold on power and thus do not want to be tested by a good constitution, hence they are ready to do all they can to mislead the majority Zambians,”he said.
Mr Mwape said on the other hand some opposition political parties perceive that the enactment of the new constitution before 2016 was the simplest way they would grab power from the ruling party.
He appealed to Zambians to exercise the spirit of nationalism and selflessness in the constitution making process.
“Where we must all stand aside and remove our special personal or group selfish interests and look at the constitution making process from different lenses and consider the greater good of the constitution as an ordinary citizen that will enjoy the rule of good laws when someday, somebody will not be a republican or party president, minister or party cadre,”he said.
With this in mind,Mr Mwape said President Edgar Lungu has an opportunity to act above board and show his integrity by ignoring any loud voices from selfish party cadres and those whose voices have been bought; who now are calling for a peace meal enactment of the Constitution.
He said President Lungu must instead listen attentively to the Zambian people from where he drives the mandate to rule today by delivering a People Driven Constitution through the National Referendum.
“This is the only way the President can avoid being haunted by the spirits of the majority Zambians that have spoken loudly through various constitution making processes that were provided in the past,”he said.
He said the ZCSD no longer trusts the parliament that belongs to the executive.
He said that the current constitution, Zambia no longer has the legislative wing of government since it now indirectly belongs to the executive, who might decide to ignore the majority voices in the name of parliamentary privileges.
He appealed to all Zambians to reject any maneuvers by the Government to enactment the constitution in piecemeal.
He said a people driven constitution in which the rights and entitlements of the people are clearly enshrined in order to fight poverty and inequality and to achieve meaningful development, above all.
Unfortunately Lungu will never act with honesty and integrity because he is the beneficiary of the current flawed constitution. Why should be? His background and history is one of dishonesty.
ZCSD Executive Director Lewis Mwape should also know that there is a call publically that the people driven Constitution should be ready before the 2016 general elections. While the issue of vote apathy that might render the Referendum a failure before 2016 is the absolute truth, and the funding is not available now, just as the time is not there to campaign for the referendum.
Mr Director (ZCSD) What are your suggestions? Do you advocate for the people driven Constitution after or before 2016 general elections?
What the government has suggested: to take some issues of the elections to parliament for ratification is to me progressive, logical, meaningful and affordable by government while the rest of the constitution should be further debated after 2016.
Unfortunately, what you are qualifying as “…progressive, logical, meaningful and affordable by government…” it is REGRESSIVE, ILLOGICAL…”, and instead of squandering tax payer money on government structures bloated by appointments based on nepotism and grand corruption, the government should honor its promise to the PEOPLE and let the PEOPLE decide on PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION.
He has said what we know already. Never a trust a politician whether in government or opposition. Only the gullible will believe whatever the politicians say be it HH, EL or whoever ad long as they are politicians in Zambia forget it