Government has appointed a Referendum Commission to oversee the holding of the referendum in 2016.
Justice Minister, Ngosa Simbyakula says government has drawn the membership of the commission from the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
Dr. Simbyakula is confident that the commissioners appointed will use their experience in handling elections to conduct a referendum.
He told ZNBC news in Lusaka yesterday that government will go ahead in holding the 2016 general election and the referendum simultaneously because the move is cost effective.
And Dr. Simbyakula said it is regrettable that the UPND wants to frustrate the constitution making Process.
He says government will however; continue engaging the opposition political parties and other stakeholders on the constitution making process.
Meanwhile, deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office, Stephen Kampyongo says the youth should use the on-going mobile issuance of National Registration Cards-NRC’s to assert their right to vote and participate in elections.
Mr Kampyongo says government has so far received overwhelming response from the youth since the exercise of NRC’s started a few weeks ago.
He however, cautioned officers issuing NRC’s against giving the national identity documents to foreigners
And Mr Kampyongo noted that more needs to be done to sensitize the people on the importance of acquiring NRC’s in the run up to the 2016 general elections.
The Deputy Minister said this during an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka.
That commission will just up like any other constitutions making commissions in the past.
Just a good way of distributing donor money, through allowances and printing stacks of paper day-in-day-out.
The 2016 elections were supposed to be held under the provisions of the new constitution. What’s the point o f enacting the constitution after the elections have passed?
Lungu and his minions are just avoiding the 50+1 clause in the 2016 elections
This news is expected and welcome. What is contentious is the timing. The referendum must be held before the general elections; that is the assurance missing in this statement to put the matter to rest.
I am not really sure we will be able to pass the 50% voter turn out for the referendum to go through. Government must really work hard because should there be less turn out, the exercise must be redone. General elections are easy because even 2% turn out one can be declared a winner
lets hear what ‘they’ will say now…as usual they will find a negative side to this latest development
my sentiments exactly… some people never give praise…
Do Zambians understand the implications of this “good” move by PF? It means the next general election under the new constitution, if it is approved by the referendum, will be in 2021. This is the equivalent of Lungu encouraging wage negotiations up to Dec 2015 and at the same time saying that there is no wage freeze.
One really wonders as to why in the first place the kick off of the insuance of NRCs started in the Northen parts of the country by some ministers and MPs from there. This was why The President was very BITTer about the whole thing. Can you see how some of these PF derogants are? They are always living in the Politics of yester years. It was only after LUNGU saw that something wrong was going on. On this one alone I think LUNGU is on the right truck. Lungu Knows exactly where the problam is in this country, I now support him when he is overhauling some of the approaches that SATA had in his leadership. A lot of Ministers in the PF do nopt mean well for Zambian politics, they are still in the politics of vergency. If you are illiterate, it is always the case as it is in the majority of thes
Why are people so ignorant of the happenings on the roadmap for the new constitution. Yes 2016 elections will be held under new clauses of the constitution to be passed next month in parliament and the bill of right is what will be passed during the referendum and general elections. What is so difficult in understanding this simple process. Those refusing this roadmap are who want the process to fail as if this goes through they will have nothing to campaign about in 2016.
It’s common sense that Zambia needs a very good constitution right now, and it’s a big shame that every sitting government keeps beating about the bush by appointing endless commissions and coming up with nothing but empty promises. Zambia is yet to have true political leaders who are not interested in personal wealth and power. God Help Us
I support this roadmap. It is a reasonable proposal. Let parliament enact the non contentious clauses and we vote for or against some contentious ones in the refetendum.
zambians are like kids ,imagine how they were cheated on road map for the constitution they all agreed and today the pf wan’ts to cheat you again. I HAVE GOT A COPY OF THE ROAD MAP EDGAR CHA……. .LUNGU , WHICH WAS USED IN THE PRESIDENTIAL BY ELECTION .
Assuming that Government needed to be given a chance to go wrong or to be right, then the membership of the Referendum Commission raises the question of inclusion and exclusion. It would have been more acceptable to include the representative/s from Electoral Commission of Zambia into a new body. The new body would be chaired by a new Chairperson working with fellow members from key areas, such as the Judiciary, National Registration, Central Statistical Office, University of Zambia, etc. The duplication is quite insensitive to the desire of members of the public to participate in building a democratic country.
Hope bloggers demanding for a good constitution understand fully the contents of the current ‘bad constitution otherwise you are better off shutting your mouth
I’m on my knees praying hard to God that we Zambians embrace this process as our own and in our own interests. That we should not politicize it but use it to get out the best Constitution for ourselves that has eluded us the past 20 years. After attaining Political Independence in 1964 and going Multi Party Politics in 1991 this could be the next most important political step for our young democracy to strengthen our democratic institutions so that we can move from relying on politicians alone to placing more trust in our institutions which can afford each citizen a real voice.
Wake up Zambians, this is no time to play political games with our future. By God’s favour on Zambia this Government looks serious in facilitating the adoption of a progressive Constitution.
God Bless Zambia