Opposition UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has been accused of playing double standards on the issue of enacting the country’s new Constitution.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) thinks that Mr. Hakainde is also being hypocritical.
YALI governance adviser Isaac Mwanza says Mr. Hichilema cannot claim that Members of Parliament (MPs) do not possess the requisite capacity to make independent decisions because they are controlled by politicians when he too is a politician that has MPs.
Below is the full statement
Hakainde Hichilema Must stop insulting Parliamentarians on Constitution Reform
We are very sad as Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has continued to play double standards and hypocritical on the issue of coming up with the progressive Constitution by claiming members of parliament (MPs) do not possess the requisite capacity to make independent decisions since, he and his partners claim, MPs are controlled by politicians like himself.
Mr. Hichilema’s latest directive to his Members of Parliament to vote against Parliamentary amendments to the Constitution is an insult to the independence, intelligence and integrity of his own honourable MPs and to Zambians at large since the UPND leader and the Grand Coalition have been the ones funding campaigns to make our people believe that Parliamentarians cannot be trusted to adopt and enact the new Constitution.
The lame excuse advanced by the Grand Coalition that Members of Parliament cannot be trusted to make the supreme law stem from the behaviour of the politicians like Mr. Hichilema and his party who have the capacity to instruct MPs elected on their party ticket to shoot down progressive means of making laws because of their political egos.
If the same directive made by the UPND leader to his MPs was made by either President Lungu or MMD President Nevers Mumba to PF and MMD Members of Parliament to use their mandate to pass amendments to the Constitution, the same UPND leader and it’s partners would have climbed an antihill telling Zambians why they don’t want MPs to perform the duty of amending the Supreme law. The UPND leader must stop engaging in the same shameful conduct he is condemning others for and making elected MPs appear as if they are robots who can’t decide on their own on what is best for this country.
What is more sad is that Mr. Hichilema is making this behaviour of controlling his MPs a political career and Zambians have not forgotten that despite the UPND and its MPs having benefitted from looting of the treasury during the NCC constitution reform exercise leading to the failed process to pass the Constitution Bill on 29 March 2011, Mr. Hichilema has always been at the center of the failed process all because the MMD could not guarantee him as a Presidential Running mate.
Mr. Hichilema may wish to remember that unlike YALI that was sidelined by the Technical Committee because we refused to participate in the continued looting of the treasury, Mr. Hichilema himself led the UPND to the Constitution Consultative Forums and it will be inexcusable for the UPND to have once again gotten the money from the treasury and yet fail to pass a single line of what they agreed upon during those forums, all because Mr. Hichilema and his partners who got those hefty payments are opposed to the process.
YALI would like to remind the opposition honourable Members of Parliament that since the political party that sponsored does not trust your ability in making independent decisions and have since confirmed with your electorate that you can be controlled through party directives, the most honourable thing to serve your integrity as Members of Parliament is either to resign from Parliament or defy directives by your party aimed at using you to frustrate the constitution reform process. We know that despite your party not being able to trust you with dispensing your constitutional mandate to enact laws, including adopting, repealing and re-enacting the Constitution, the party has no courage to withdraw you from Parliament
Issued by
Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
come on now!! are YALI telling me that HH is such a big pain in anses, that you cant think??,,, and you Lusaka times please give out news not these monkey dancing activites!!!
HH has asked his MPs not be part of the the PF trickery. We shall reject piece meal amendments tooth and nail. YALI got the the message from HH out of context. Look at women for instance, only about 10 are in parliament. Are these going to address issues related to women adequately which men may overlook
The truth pains. I understand your frustration and confusion Ndobo. There is an issue raised on the table and there you go again, insulting instead of directly giving a clear analytical thought to matter raised by YALI.
HH is not a politician. He is only a rubble raiser who gets entangles in his own web of confusion. We also say that HH has no clear issues to talk about. This is the same for his followers. That is what is meant that if you follow a blind man, you are likely to fall in the ditch.
What is HH constitutional contention, is it the content or process? And what is crying about in both? he is not coming out clear. HH what exactly is you problem on this matter? Do not mislead people unncessarily.
HH is only telling the truth. Parliament is controlled by compromised PF MP,s that do not act based on principle. They know that enacting Certain clauses in the constitution will render their party weaker and threaten their livelihood as MPs, so why enact the constitution? Being an MP is their livelihood and once out if parliament it will be back to suffering and poverty
HH is a slippery eel wrapped around a cow.
Don’t worry UPND is satisfied with the present, so let us wait for 2016 general elections and referendum.
Indeed, any scumbag can have media space to air utter crap. Just shows the level of majority of the citizens, mediocre! Seems anything against opposition, esp HH and team is carried as legit, weird place Zambia. Opposition in a democracy is a counterbalance to excesses of despotic leaders, and deserve support than face unfounded criticism from job seekers and folks who think with their bellies. Wake up chaps!
Like others have already pointed out, what is HH really against here? Is it the PROCESS or the CLAUSES to be enacted? After all, it is NOT like parliament/MPs will be adding or changing anything in the already released DRAFT CONSTITUTION. The only thing parliament will be doing is ENACT INTO LAW those clauses which does not require a referendum (e.g. the 50+1, running mate, etc.)
In fact most of the clauses which benefit opposition parties are the ones being considered before the 2016 elections. So what the h-e-l-l is HH’s problem? Is it a case of FEAR that HH/UPND will have nothing to complain about, or someone to blame, for their failures next year? Come on, now!
I think the Govt’s reasons (EXPENSE & VOTER APATHY) for combining a referendum and GE are very valid!
Ndobo I hear you!
Common enemy is PF. Isaac Mwanza should be REMINDED that it is PF pathological hypocrite & liars who pledged “a people driven constitution” not the “animal” one in 90 Days!
The culprit is PF who after 4 years later, have FAILED to give people the constitution. Instead Isaac Mwanza should question the PF chauvinists about their Donchi Kubeba sickness of a new constitution in 90 days.
Illuminating HH is merely an empty escape from reality on the poor reasoning behind Mr. Mwanza et al pathological hypocrites & liars.
PF liars, where is the 90 days constitution? Its now 4 years, infinity lies daily & shame on PF bandits.
Cheese eating monkey converts! Fake PF just bring out the $193 million you’re hiding under Lungu! BANDITS.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
@ Yebo Nkhosi # 1.2
Can you PLEASE read slowly and then put in the contest of known FACTS, you may be able to understand why, how and because of the frustration.
Just a SIMPLE factuality.
It is a KNOWN FACT that PF is AGAINST provision of 50% + 1. There is no argument about. Suddenly, according to PF, that specific provision is NOT any more contentious and does not merit to be put to referendum!!! How come?
Think and then you will understand meaning of “monkey business”
UPND HAVE A CHAP IN THERE LEADER HH A SMALL TIN BUSINESSMAN WHO THINKS RUNNING A COUNTRY IS LIKE A FARM, BELIEVE YOU ME THIS PARTY WILL NEVER WIN WITH THIS CHAP AS THERE PRESIDENT. THE CHAP IS SO SELF CENTER WHO THINK THAT HE IS THE BEST MAN FOR ZAMBIA. WE HAVE GOT PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO CAN RUN THIS COUNTRY WELL THAN THIS NOICE MAKER WHO JUST SEES BAD IN EVERY THING PRESIDENT LUNGU DOES.
If you hv money for Refrendum bring it forward.
Zambia is faced with famine this year and those if us who can buy mealie meal no matter how much the price want to forget that we have relatives starving enough to deserve the money more than Refrendum.
Let us avoid shallow thinking. If we say we wait for money to enact new constitution we complain. The same document has my comments. Did you comment in it? If not who should do it for you? Do you also have any articles you think parliament can’t comprehend from those which are none contentious?
Many if us make noisy on constitution yet we don’t even know its Table of Contents.
The best is shut up and relax!
Kalanga
Well sorry mate! You’re behind. Personally I have read & understood the content of the new constitution. Need I remind you that ZWD was the first to glimpse people’s eyes about the proposed constitution. Its imperative that you contextualize its course, otherwise you are talking from non sequitur spectral lines. Please, entice yourself with the draft constitution asap, then the discourse can continue.
Otherwise, need I remind you that PF pledged to the echelons of the country that, they will deliver “a people driven constitution in 90 days”! What has changed apart from PF being hypocrites & liars? Its 4 years now for a solely clause is jokes.
PF’s manifesto in its current form ululate 90 days constitution, not a piece.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Why do members of parliament from MMD when it was in power and PF now in power have a caucus meeting when ever there was a contentious issue in parliament. In case these YALI champs did know, they are told what to vote for. If you listen to parliament or have once attended any session, you will agree with me that most of the members from the ruring party fail to even express themselves in debating. The only thing they wait for is to exclaim YEEEEEEEESSSSSS and they have it alternatively they wait to vote. I must agree, parliament is not a true representative of the people.
Isaac Mwanza can not see the benefit of not enacting the law of the land in piece meals . He seem to enjoy when the rest of his relatives are wallowing in poverty because of political trimbling
If you don’t want to enact the law of the land in parts then let us wait for refurendum which will be run concurently with 2016 general election simple
Bwana @kakonga mpidi, so what are the benefits of NOT enacting anything from the DRAFT CONSTITUTION before the 2016 elections? Because that’s what is going to happen if this piecemeal approach is abandoned.
Govt has said that there is NO MONEY (which everybody agrees) to carry out a referendum and G/Elections so close together. And even if funds were available, still a referendum before next year was going to be problematic due to facts such as: VOTER APATHY and a clause in the current Constitution which dictates that for a referendum to be valid a certain percentage of eligible voters in the country must participate—my understanding is that Govt wants this clause repealed first. So all this requires a lot of money, time, and sensitisation campaigns to be carried out.
It is not supprising to hear this from yali. To start with we Know very well the politics of the belly being practiced in Zambia. PF ha the majority in parliament and whatever bill that comes to parliament will just pass through especially if it helps the pf to weld pwer to themselves. costistutional piecemeal items being brought before parliament are one such example. We want the contitution in tatality through a national refferundum and nit one sided parliamentary majority.
It is not supprising to hear this from yali. To start with we Know very well the politics of the belly being practiced in Zambia. PF ha the majority in parliament and whatever bill that comes to parliament will just pass through especially if it helps the pf to weld pwer to themselves. costistutional piecemeal items being brought before parliament are one such example. We want the contitution in tatality through a national refferundum and nit one sided parliamentary majority. Few mps cosider relevant issues these days. They only vote for what is expected to feel their belly in a short term. Shame Yali….
Political parties operate on a joined platform and consesus basis. HH as leader of a party is authorized to communicate his party’s official position. Now if any of the MPs want to break rank and file and hold a different position they are free to do so. However just like in any organisation they are consequences when one breaks rank and file. The country has gone to great lengths and expenses to get a new constitution and to now decide to put such and important all supreme document in the hands of a few and some perhaps corrupted individuals does not make sense. Why is PF afraid to let the people speak by voting on this issue. ZAMBIA NEEDS A REFERENDUM! PERIOD.
A referendum can only take place with general election in 2016. So even enacting simple amendments should wait till then because HH said so? If we do not trust those that we have sent to represent us – let Mr. HH propose that we abolish Parliament – oh that would be lame!
These so called YALI chaps are PF sponsored! Don’t pretend to speak on behalf of the people when you know too well that you are looking for favors from PF. We want a constitution that will stand the test of time and not what these idi0ts in PF are planning to do! Who told them that people want a peacemeal amendment? People don’t want that but you are forcing it down their throats! These selfish morons in PF have no interest of people but their own selfish desires only! Docile Zambians, you got what you wanted! In this day and age you can vote for a riff ruff just because he is a tribesman! We are 200 years away from civilization!
Mwanza PF cadre, what HH was alluding to was, since PF has the majority numbers of MPs in parliament what their leaders in the party decide will be abided to rather than what an individual MP feels.
Any person objecting the holding of a referendum is just a stupid ***** as kaunda may call them, what HH said is true unless this foolish Isaac mwanza does not have a reasonable mind to remember wat happened in RB’s time.if this chap want a job from PF ,let it just say than attacking someone talking from experience.u even pollute the air to say the country has no money, tell me where bye Election money is coming *****!! All we want is a constitution that will represent the wish of the majority Zambians than 1/3 parliamentarians. Don’t use HH to be on the map bitch!!
Thieves are ruling Zambia, the only country remains cursed. 2016 HH true leader hereby set to liberate Zambia from pf thieves under all odds.
Illiterate air headed adults such as Yebo Nkosi,Isaac Mwanza & Nubia Princess must really consider upgrade their grey matter for their children’s sake & neighbours! Constitutional amendments or be it repeals is not suppose to be done by parliament for known obvious reasons! A people driven constitution is fundamental to good governance in any democratic government.One need not to be a rocket scientist to analyse the vested interests of taking any national issue to parliament were corruption,log rolling & unprincipled looters are conveyed in the name of representing the poor gullible voters!Most of these MPs are serving their own belies,MPs like Dowson,Siamunene,Monde,Dora,Kaingu,Vincent,Mulusa,Kalaba,Kambwili,&many others!HH is just being rational & proactive as well as consistency over…
This YALI is just a puppet may be on PF payroll. Its clear that this is the weakest parliament. They failed to stop PF accummulating huge insurmountable debts, they failed to stop Sata appoint corrupt Nchito and his aunt chief justice. They even failed to stop Chikopa so what salt do these parliamentarians have. Now here we are needing a constitution but offered a peace meal one and they are quiet like pumpkins in my field….sha!
Parliament is not qualified to enact the peoples constitution, because most if not all of them just rubber stamp what their party leader instructs them to do. They have no credibility at all. Unless someone is can explain why they we are having the Mtembo tribunal. These are the same guys who ratified him. We want every single person to have a say, not these unprincipled flags we have in parliament. Too much resources have already been spent on the constitution making process. There id only one way to do it, via referendum. All the spin doctors should know that this is not about anyone but the nation and all future generations. It’s time politicians stated thinking long term beyond our generation. We can’t let the self confessed visionless to kidnap something as big as the constitution.
@James, uleke ubufi iwe! Do you know that even after a referendum, Parliament still has to vote on it?
“Parliament is not qualified to enact the people’s constitution…”, what a bunch of cr@p! Please educate yourself on these matters.
I think sometimes it is better not to oppose just for opposition’s sake. If HH were a seasoned politician, he would call PF’s bluff and actually support some of the amendments. The British constitution, which is not a written one, has evolved with time. If each of the previous governments had amended one or two clauses in the constitution in favour of peoples’ wishes, we would by now have a good constitution. Fact is that we cannot trust any political party any more, including UPND, to honour their promises. We need the running mate amendment to save the country from countless bye-elections. We also need a repeal of the public order act. Appointments of the Inspector General of Police, prosecutors and judges need to be free of political interference. One step at a time!
Read my comment please.
A parliament controlled by one party PF which has declared interest in certain Clauses cannot be legitimate to enact the constitutional clauses in question. PF has clearly stated their opposition to the 50 plus 1, running mate, dual citizenship etc. In fact the late President Of PF stated several times that he did not see the need for a new constitution. HH’s fears are shared by the majority of Zambians including members of PF who are not enemies of democracy and progress. This issue is not about HH or any individual. It is about a political party in power using the State to hoodwink Zambians out of a people driven construction. The same people will cry for a better constitution when they are out of power. Zambians let us wake up.
UPND should thank we have Edgar in plot 1. If we had a vindictive president he would allow a referendum to go ahead well knowing it is impossible to get 50% of ellegibal voters say yes. Thereafter, the country would just continue using the current constitution. Is this what HH and his followers want? THE PROBLEM IS HH DOES NOT BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY. JUST LOOK AT HOW HE BECAME UPND PRESIDENT AND HOW HE CONTINUES TO UNDEMOCRATICALLY LEAD IT.
imwe @bakabwa constitution is not about PF or HH. What is it that you don’t understand? The parliament in its current state is compromised and do not represent the will of the people. They cannot be trusted to pass the constitution because they have already gone against the people’s wish. If the force it it will go the same way the other constitutions have gone- in the trash bin. Please let us learn from history, you all stakeholders to support this constitution and the only way is through a referendum.
It is unfortunate & sad to have Mr. Isaac Mwanza as Advisor for Young African Leaders Initiative because he can’t think outside the box of a government. Also his failure to use logic thinking what is best for people and what the people want. Any good suggestion from any political leader or any person who opposes what the government wants is garbage. Such kind of thinking destroys progress of the nation. MPs approved the hike of mine taxation and royalties despite opposition from the people – failed the people. Referendum is as vital as presidential election. Is like MPs voting for a republican president. If the constitution is first before the president, then the govn will do everything in it’s power to find the money for referendum because bad constitution result in high corruption
Eh Boom. The problem with Zambians is that when they re told truth they don’t like it and resort to insulting. HH is on the wrong side of history on the constitution reform. It’s true UPND and HH have been benefiting from getting allowances during the processes but when it comes to enacting the Constitution, they always give one excuse after another. Why can’t they change even just a single line in the Constitution for the monies they have been getting. HH is ever using this process to his own benefit. It wasn’t about the referendum in 2011 and HH and his MPs were ready to enact amendments which they had agreed to on one condition that HH become Vice President through the running mate but because the cause was not there, he shot down those amendments. That’s lacking it principle
Now I understand why Zambian Watchdog can’t cover YALI. You always do your thinking unlike that Grand Collusion
YALI – who doesn’t know your acts when you are broke! It is sad you cannot comprehend what HH said. Any way, you long lost your substance…. Just another yapper.
Boring……..
?Yambayamba
Please think like a person who went to school not a grade 1 .Can’t you see that it is possible for PF to gunner 2/3 majority and reject contentious clause like 50+1%.As long as we have people like Yambayamba Zambia will not anywhere.