GOVERNMENT has presented the Referendum Amendment Bill to Parliament. The bill seeks to amend the Referendum Act of 1967 to bring it in conformity with the constitution on the eligibility criterion for voting in national referendums.
Minister of Justice Ngosa Simbyakula presented the bill to the House on Tuesday.
Dr Simbyakula said the bill is aimed at amending the Referendum Act of 1967 to bring it in tandem with the Zambian constitution.
And Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has referred the Referendum Amendment Bill to the committee on legal affairs, governance and human rights.
Dr Matibini has also ordered the committee to present the report on the Bill to the House on June 26, 2015.
He also asked members of Parliament (MPs) willing to make submissions to the bill to do so.
Parliament also heard that no Zambian died during the recent xenophobic attacks in Durban, South Africa.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Rayford Mbulu said government worked with staff at the Zambian mission in South Africa to sensitise citizens on how to avoid being caught up in the attacks.
“We also informed Zambians who intended to travel to South Africa during this time to report their presence in that country to the High Commission with a view to securing their lives,” he said.
Mr Mbulu also said Government has put in place measures to ensure safety of Zambians in the diaspora.
Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Christabel Ngimbu also presented the Forests Bill.
Not prezing enough.
This report is lacking in terms of detail. It is assumed that the illegibility criterion for voting in a National Referendum is clear to all readers. We need to be more explicit at reporting parliament announcements. A contrast has to be established between what has been there all along to what is now proposed. I don’t know the details. One Zambia One Nation.
Well it is with great relief that non of our people was hurt in SA, but to say govt has put up measures to insure the safety of Zambians in the diaspora is nothing but a mockery. Govt does not care about the people in diaspora and the people in the diaspora are neglected by the govt. I wonder the hell Mbulu is trying to impress, stop misleading the house.
I am also wondering what he meant by his reference to the diaspora.
I don’t think government or the High Commission knows who I’m, where I’m or what I do; and have never been communicated to by them.
The minister must not tell untruths to the House.
I am very concerned as a citizen of Zambia with what PF and Simbiakula is trying to do.The current senerio is that as long as you are the simple majority even when you don’t hit the 50 plus one threash hold a referendum can be passed as being in favor of the group. The old system it required the majoritarian system were 50 plus one of the entire population voting in a referendum is arrived at only then the referendum can be passed being in favor of the majority. The latter is good because it makes the out come of the referendum to be widely accepted by all Zambians. So parliamentarians should support the 50plus one as it will unite the country. If not its just a sheer waste of time. Other regions will denial the out come and its a recipe for anarchy.
Stupid report. Explain the “before” situation of 1967 and the “to be” situation of the proposed change. Add some information about the evolution of the change as people’s attitudes change. Otherwise it is not news. News is about clearly informing and teaching people.
Those are the qualities of our ministers. How can you expect the country to develop if you have such quality of ministers. One would wonder whether ministers and MPs go through training how to communicate effective to the nation.