Tuesday, March 19, 2024

UPND vows to go ahead with constitution demos with or without a permit

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Sports and Youth Minister Chishimba Kambwili
Minister Chishimba Kambwili

The United Party for National Development has vowed to go ahead with countrywide constitution protests this week with or without Police permission.

The opposition UPND is seeking a permit from the police to hold a public procession from their secretariat to State House to put pressure on government to use the referendum as a mode of adopting the new Constitution.

Protests organizing team Spokesperson Chisankama Mudenda has said that the party yesterday applied for a Police permit with the view of being allowed to protest this Friday, 15th May.

Mr. Mudenda who is also UPND Lubwa Ward Youth Chairperson told Qfm News that to this effect his party has engaged private security companies to handle security issues during the protests.

He said that the party is determined to protest with or without a Police permit being granted because it finds government’s plan to table non contentious clauses of the final draft constitution when Parliament resumes sitting unacceptable.

And Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Charity Katanga confirmed that the UPND has applied for a permit for a procession to State House.

Ms. Katanga said that the police is still studying the matter and is yet to get back to the UPND leadership.

And Chief Government spokesperson, Chishimba Kambwili has urged UPND to abandon the plan to demonstrate saying it will not yield any result. Mr Kambwili said that it was not possible to hold a referendum before the 2016 general elections due to financial constraints.

Mr. Kambwili said that people calling for a referendum should be realistic because the country has serious pressing needs.

Mr. Kambwili was speaking to ZNBC news in a telephone interview on today.

He said the government has competing social needs and cannot divert money to holding a referendum.

24 COMMENTS

    • Demonstration is a democratic right. The PF promised us a constitution in 90 days. Check PF manifesto on page 42. to lie and go against their own written promise is very retarded, but again, who expects Chishimba Kambwili, Mumbi Phiri and Kennedy Kamba to be reasonable. Isn’t that really our tragedy, that such characters can have such strong influence on important issues affecting the country

  1. Ok,edgar lungu is really doij fine,and we in kitwe r all happy wit the way thinz r ryt nw,i kno things maybe a bit hard ryt nw,bt I promise u things will b ok as we hav a hardworkin president.the obama of africa

  2. I am disinterested in the constitution. Maybe UPND should engage the public so we know what the benefits of enacting a new constitution will yield.

  3. What is wrong with our old constitution? Really the most that needs to be done is revision of laws, the amending of others and we are set. How many Zambians even know what the constitution states? MMD and UPND have MPs in government, how do the fail to work for us the people?

    Viva Nawakwi president supreme.

    • @Nzelu, “How many Zambians even know what the constitution states”!!!! It is saddening to note that there are some so called informed Zambians who wish to continue riding on the ignorance of uninformed Zambians instead of doing good for the benefit of everyone. Many people in Zambia have been taken to school by parents who never went to school themselves or never reached the level of education their children reached. This open and unselfish sacrifice is so that these children contribute positively to the betterment of the country, community and households. It is a shame when an educated child deliberately and for selfish reasons refuses to live up to parents’ expectations. Aai paliye nzelu apa

    • Think with much understanding before you say something. Yes, the majority of Zambians do not know what is contained in the constitution & some of the people do not know the value & importance of having a good constitution. Others are just hearing about the constitution for the first time. This has been due to the selfishness of politicians in the past and present ruling governments holding to the constitution which protected our colonial masters & minority whites. We still have “minority whites” who are black among us. The colonial masters did not teach us about the constitution. That’s what the Zambian government has done, denying people who have never gone past grade 7. Civics is taught from Grade 8 and up. A good constitution can be only be authored by the people not by parliament.

  4. Revolutions start like this. Why is government borrowing secretly for other things and not critical issues like the constitution? Money should not be an issue because PF has demonstrated propensity to be extremely extravagant as seen in cases of corruption, direct theft and misapplication of resources, among other things.

    It isn’t UPND demanding but the majority Zambians. PF should not take citizens for granted forever. Even a millipede reacts when poked too much!

    • Where did you get you statistics that it is the majority Zambians who are demanding this new constitution. If the majority Zambians have already decided as you claim, why hold a referendum. It a waste of resources then.

      What is the population of Zambia and what is your figure (majority Zambians) against the total population?

      I have always said here that we should not generalise issues. We should always try to be factual. Dwelling on emotions make us look foolish in public. I agree with you UPND is a millipede.

  5. Not even a new constitution can change Zambia. Progressive minds and hard work shall develop Zambia.

    Viva President Nawakwi.

    • I don’t understand UPND at all,first they said they wanted the constitution to be enacted so that the 50+1 clause can be effected as well as the issue of the running mate now ECL says those non contentious can be enacted through parliament and they say NO. We all know that for a referendum to be successful we need at least 50% of the registered voters to participate but this is not practical especially with the voter apathy experienced of late. Secondly the referendum is quite costly and right now there is no money. Let them offer solutions than just opposing everything government does

    • @ william. am very ashamed of you my friend. Those in street!!! so you don’t mind them because they are in the street? What an evil!! Who gave you votes? Are they not the same people. Am very anoid with you my dear. I was not to be part of this conversation, but because of your evil, you have provoked my arger. gente burra.

  6. The Grand Coalition says it is representing us on the Constitution. I am kindly asking the GC to publish the Social Contract signed wih various parties before the January 20 elections in the Newspapers. I want to know if I am adequately represented by the GC.

  7. We shuold not be cheated that its costly to enact the new constution,we need to know how much it will cost us.There is alot of money being diverted for personal benefits and you are saying the country has no money,please we are tired of cheap poiltiking.VIVA UPND!

    • Let’s not oppose for the purpose of opposition. Look, the PF government has stated that there are some clauses that can be enacted before 2016 so that we go into the election on new terms. These are 50+1 and the presidential running mate. The thing is that the constitution is meant to be enacted by referendum and the only time that voters will be able to decide is on the 2016 ballot where they will have to fill out a separate ballot for the constitution. That said, do you even know that the results of a referendum can only be adopted if more than 50% of the electorate vote on it? With current turnouts, the most realistic time when we can have a new constitution is in 2017 ratified by parliament.

  8. Frankly, I do not understand what the UPND is really interested in on the matter of the constitution. Over the 50+1 clause, the matter will be tabled before parliament before 2016 including the running mate.

    There is a clause in the constitution, it states that a referendum can only be adopted after a turnout of 50+1 of eligible voters, considering the recent turnouts in elections, it is highly unlikely that a referendum is even the best way to go.

    The best advice for UPND is to keep focused on the economy and base all your arguments on the economy. People do not vote for rights, they vote for their stomachs, period!

  9. Cinstitution is the only key to fix the top politician especially the president. The old consitution is contamninated with welensky colon one having excees power such as the president appointing his only best friend of yes bwana, Winning of simple majority, Electral Commission controlled by the state, the citizen are denied to sue the government’s failure to provide essential services.. All the problems we have in zambia are as a result of having bad constitution which is baised towards party in power. Many people are not voting due to this bad constitution. MIND you whatevere we do depends on constitution. Chiluba changed this constitution in 1996 in favour of himself. UPND you have the right to demostrate peacefully. Sata was also against this constitution but liked it when he…

  10. HAHAHAHAHA ,BAKACHEMA YOU CAN NEVER BE LIKE THE LATE SATA.NO POLICE PERMIT PLEASE WE DON,T HAVE ENOUGH MAN POWER AND NO PRIVATE SECURITY ON NATIONAL MATTERS.

  11. Better go the Burundi way. Talking every time to people who wont listen is wasting time. Kuipononafye chapwa, and everyone will know the winner.

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