PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri has appealed to the Grand Coalition on the constitution to be sincere in their push for the enactment of the draft constitution because they decampaigned President Lungu.
Ms Phiri said the coalition led by Father Lenard Chiti should give President Lungu space to give the Zambian people a constitution that will stand a taste of time and one which Zambians will live to appreciate.
“The Grand Coalition needs to be sincere and I know my bishop Father Chiti will be more sincere in his quest.They need to give the president space and chance to deliver a good constitution to the people of Zambia. Are we ready to have all the issues in the draft constitution enacted into law?” she asked.
Ms Phiri added that the Grand Coalition wanted President Lungu to sign a social contract which he refused because he never wanted to commit to something that the people of Zambia will not appreciate in the long run.
“They wanted him to sign a social contract which he refused because he knew what is best for Zambia than being blackmailed,” she said.
Ms Phiri speaking on Comet Radio’s The Podium added that President Lungu wants to make history by giving the people of Zambia a constitution they will live to appreciate for a very long time than wasting money on a constitution that will require amendments sooner than later.
[pullquote]“They wanted him to sign a social contract which he refused because he knew what is best for Zambia than being blackmailed,” she said.[/pullquote]
Ms Phiri added that the Grand Coalition should be the last grouping to talk about the constitution because they decampaigned President Lungu in the January 20 presidential by election for refusing to sign their social contract.
And Mumbi Phiri has said her appointment as the PF deputy secretary general excited her because she is a politician.
“Some tabloids reported that she seemed excited about her appointment, yes I am a politician and serving as a politician at the highest level should excite me, I have served as a diplomat at the highest level but I am a politician” she said.
And asked about her recontesting the Munali constituency seat as a parliamentarian, Ms Phiri said that only God will show her the way after parliament is dissolved in 2016.
urine drinking Mumbi! why to you PF chaps have to make statements about everything,,, sometimes leave Edgar to answer for himself
Grand coalition is nothing but a useless dreamers joined for the sole purpose outdoing each other mufisushi. Zambians have nothing to do with them. Ati De-campaigning.
Ka Lungu promised to deliver a constitution when he was begging for votes this year. Now that he’s in power he’s scared of the 50+1 vote coz he knows he will lose and will do whatever he can to avoid the issue
@ ndobo
Yours is a wishful thinking. Our President does not have courage and guts to answer Zambians questions. Instead is hiding behind bunch of failed demagogues blabbing.
In fact the GC has been consistent in demanding that the new constitution be delivered. The fact that Lungu refused to promise to fast track the process is the more reason the CG should continue to insist that he stops standing in the way of the delivering the constitution in a non controversial manner.The constitution is not to be delivered at the pleasure of politicians; it must be delivered now rather than when Lungu thinking it should for other president when he is out of office.
Issues of the constitution are beyond the comprehension of Mumbi Phiri, period!
Edgar has no time to waste he is busy working. Let his juniors deal with these unrealistic people who seem to be too dull. In its current form (50% of ellegibal voters is not possible to achieve). If PF goes that route, there will be no new constitution. May be that is what the coalition wants so that they can continue chewing donor money.
The 50+1 is bad law.In our democracy only 1 president managed to get more than 50% FTJ.
We are a polarised country politically,not even your HH can get more than 50%.Besides its very expensive venture
THESE BRATS FROM ZAIRE, MALAWI AND TANZANIA HAVE KILLED OUR ZAMBIAN POLITICS. THEY ARE ALWAYS ON THE DEFENSIVE IMAGINE!
Mrs Mumba zambia got independence in 1964 so we are very ready for any change unless iam wrong change us the only way we are going to develop our zambia. If we are saying we are not then I doughty your political stance I don’t expect you to utter such cheap I believe in you snd I know you can speak more than what you have just said .you have lived abroad and you know what brings developmet in a nation please zambia can do anything 51 years since independence we can do it .Bravo to you and I will encourage you to speak your mind rather than be pushed by fake cheap politicians .
Why are Zambians so wrapped in this stoopid idea of a constitution to “stand the test of time”. There’s is no such thing. Every constitution evolves to suit the living generation. The American one has numerous amendments and the Supreme Court changes the law everyday. There’s nowhere in the world where the law is written in stone.
@ buck teeth
You lie about the USA constitution.
For example, the second amendment on the right to bear arms has never been amended since it was adopted in 1791 and is almost imposible to amend because of the supreme court interpretation
Americans kill each other with guns like flies but no one cares
Not true Gen – you are talking about just one amendment. Our Constitution also has Acts that have never been amended since the Constitution was enacted.
Mumbi Phiri.
About as sharp as a marble with an intellect rivaled only by her colleague Chishimba Kambwili.
@William Tekere Banda- Ms Mumbi sharp- YES! But to compare her to Kambili is an insult! I shudder…..
I agree with you. Our constitution has parts that are good worth retaining and those that need immediate change. It is the later that we must focus attention to and move on. New inclusions are certainly welcome. Probably right now our dilemma is on how to go about it, referendum or parliament. To me referendum is a costly exercise if it is not done at the same time as the general presidential election. If indeed people want the change right now, parliament approach is the way to go. One Zambia One Nation.
What I find unsettling about the Zambian mindset generally is that while they do not even understand the current constitution, they are asking for a new constitution that implies it must be unshakable. A lot of bollocks, if you ask me. I know there are contentious issues, and there are matters surrounding the so-called 50+1. If we can move away from this nonsense and instead look at first past the post and based on the majority of seats in parliament then we will be going somewhere. We are still too politically naive to handle re-matches in the form of 50+1, unless of course we can quickly enact new modes of election practice such as electronic voting as well as diaspora participation as an instance.
@ Kalok
First past the post is what we have now and the reason for wanting to move away from this system to have a president elected by the majority, hence the proposed 50+1 system
I would not advocate for parliamentary system like the British as it will require amending the law to provide for coalision govt in case of a hang parliament.
A coalision govt in Zambia is simply not practical, it cant just work
@MM
The whole point was/is to insult them both, but obviously you missed the SARCASM in my post. I don’t blame you.
@william Banda
Ulichisushi. How do you take pride in insulting people.
@Kalok,i totally agree with you,many are the voices crying for a new constitution but know nothing about the old current one.And yes,our democracy is not mature enough to go with laws like 50 + 1.But someones needs to stay employed by saying something and thats whats the grand pollution is doing.
PF is a party by the arrogant, for the arrogant and to the arrogant. How on earth can we entrust the resources of our country to be admistered by these crooks, anyway i dont blame PF but myself to having voted for these crooks in the first place
Ababene who do they represent,let them submit the list of the so called peopkle they represent.
Another “Belly Politician” singing her masters voice, while eating.
The calibre of politicians Zambia gets just gets worse.
Continue eating Mumbi, as one day that Belly will cease getting filled with Government resources.
I am interested in knowing two things about Mumbi:
1. Which category of people is she representing?
2. Has she got anything to offer to the Zambian people?
Why do some people believe we are immature to handle simple issues like 50% + 1 when smaller countries in Africa have had it for a long time already. Let us not harbour inferiority complexes after 50 years of independence – it is recipe for lagging behind.
Ba Grand Coalition in the last presidential by elections you decampaigned against Lungu and he won even this time around he will win whether you de campaign him or not because ifwe Lungu ewo twachonga
Lungu is the lat person to be scared of 50 + 1 the piecemeal amendment PF is proposing includes the 50 + 1. That clause favours PF more than UPND cause once all the jokers are eliminated Lungu against HH alone Lungu would get above 65%. Even MMD had they in acted the 50 + 1 RB would still be president today. That clause favour the ruling party!!!!
Lungu won by 1.7% of the vote.. Third was FDD, what makes you think the opposition vote would go to the ruling party?
Mumbi Phiri’s running commentries is an embodiment of PF evil. Every time she opens her mouth is repugnant, hateful and deceptive (typical of PF brand).
The nation is in search of a new constitution that has deluded PF false promises starting with late Sata 90 day promise of new constitution. Mumbi, like Lenshina deciple still drinks urine with the hope of emancipating herself from falsehood born both by PF and Lenshina.
This Nursery school teacher is just barking at everything in a faint hope of being given a meaninful position! Her utterances are usually devoid of any intellect,she is just a foul mouthed uncultured yokel! It is actually an insult to anybody’s IQ to engage her with a meaningful debate about the Constitution!
I think the so called Grand Coalition is just a bunch of discredited and hungry wolves. I dont think they are adding any value to the well being of Zambians because their aim is just to continue making noise in order to please their sponsors! This Fr Chiti chap should just come out in the open and declare his political interests just like his friend Fr Bwalwa!
I agree with you Mr Munyelo Pwete!
This Fr Chiti chap is impotent. We do not know how many children he is representing. We only wish the President to ignore the so called collision. The programme of Parliament dealing with the contentious issues should go ahead, and even delay the Referendum all together. MPs are the true representatives of the constituencies. They represent the Voters that vote. Chiti only wants to eat and cloth himself, maybe the shoes are finished.
The money that is available should speed up the roads & districts constructions.
‘taste of time’ Journalists of nowadays awe sure. Ba Deputy SG, let every Zambian have their own view but at the end of the day all of us need a good constitution. if EL is able to deliver, then we will give him the due credit.
She is also expressing her view
You expect every one to keep quiet because they have a different opinion?
It is true 90% of us who vote are very ignorant about the constitution. However, I wish His Excellency could delay further so that those who support hh can wait until he wins in 2060. I want ibanyokole njala all who wanted positions from hh.
The so called coalition is a sham. They have no clue of what they are advocating for. Referendum can’t work in Zambia. Kaunda knew why he put that clause there.
To make changes in those areas impossible.
We must just amend certain clauses in the constitution.We can’t always have a new constitution when what we want is only to changes 5 clauses.clauses. Atase bane.American govt jst amend clauses.Let them ask us what we want and amend those contentious issues.No need of new constitution but make amendments.
IS A PRESIDENT ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY A SURE WAY OF
GETTING A GOOD PRESIDENT?
LT she’s Mrs Phiri not Ms. She’s married to Mr. Phiri
PF why spending millions of Kwachas to the project you will not finish. This so called constitution is a money spinner for the people close to the corridors of power period.
I feel sorry for her husband Mr Phiri. I don’t know how he has managed to live with such a mouthy person for so long. Maybe he is under petticoat govt.
So the road map which PF accused UPND of stealing was not theirs afterall because the UPND road map was new constitution before 2016 elections?
PF should know that the Zambian people have already spoken through the district, provincial and national conferences. Good management requires that you do not go back to square one to consult individuals again. Everyone was already consulted. If any individuals want new input, it means PF mismanaged the district, provincial and national conferences and shows lack of leadership in the matter.
For sure,I’m getting tired of this iliterate prostitution.Dont comment anyhow,just comment on issues that you understand.Be sober.
El does not comment any how. He makes a comment only when it matters. That is why the Kambwilis, Hapundas, Chandas and Mumbi Phiri are there. Guys, you are doing a great job. Keep it up. They are feeling your heat!!
during campaigns Lungu said within 90 days. Stop talking as if the constitution has just been drafted. The process started during mwanawasa s time. its totally in efficient that it has taken so lone to inact it