The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution has urged all members of Parliament to discard the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2015 out of Parliament and demand the enactment of a new people driven constitution. In a statement made available to the media and signed by the chairperson Leonard Chiti, the Grand Coalition warned MPs, who will debate in support of a Bill that does not even guarantees the rights of their electorates,that they will be watched closely and promised to follow them in their constituencies.
Below is the full statement
The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution notes with profound sadness that the PF Government has decided to disobey the voice of reason and logic that the Grand Coalition has been offering on the constitution making process.
The tabling of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2015 before the National Assembly of Zambia for debate and consequent amendments is a clear violation of the democratic practice in the constitution making process and also the PF own manifesto.
It is the conviction of the GC that Parliament has no power to give Zambians a new constitution which the PF government consistently promised them whilst in opposition and after being ushered into office.
It has become clearer now that the engagements that government purported to have undertaken through the ministry of Justice were purely window addressing engagements and consultations.
The minister of Justice had already a predetermined position of usurping the powers of the people to adopt their own constitution through a referendum.
Those who participated in these consultations can now attest that Government’s use of a parliament route to avert the new constitution was already hatched and solidly protected and the resultant constitution will be in the Image of PF government.
Clearly, the fact that President Lungu failed to meet stakeholders even after promising the UNDP representatives who visited him at State House that he was in the process of doing so, is testimony enough that this constitution route has led to the botched process.
The GC will not support any route that removes from Constitution and treats the Bill of Rights as a secondary matter.
This in our view destroys the very bedrock of Zambians’ existence. In this regard, we want to reiterate our long standing view that the parliamentary route of adopting a new constitution is treacherous and will not be supported by us and will not be part of any process that is trying to validate this treacherous route.
Those MPs who will debate in support of a Bill that does not even guarantees the rights of their electorates will be watched closely and GC promises to follow them in their constituencies.
In our effort not be abused and used by the Government on this process, the GC has decided to decline a request from the National Assembly of Zambia through the Committee on Legal, Gender and Human Rights to make submissions on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2015.
We further instruct all our member constituents not to validate a fraud process but to encourage MPs to debate not to debate the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2015.
Our appeal is extended to all stakeholders earmarked to be invited to this committee TO DECLINE appearance so as not to legitimize this process.
Finally, we urge all MPs to discard the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2015 out of Parliament and demand the enactment of a new people driven constitution.
Issued by: Fr. Leonard Chiti
Chairperson of the Grand Coalition
Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia
Is there anything different between what has been presented in Parliament and what you have, Fr Chiti? Is your argument only that it must be adopted through a referendum? I believe the Bill of Rights will go through a referendum at the same time as the 2016 general elections. At this stage, only the non contentious clauses have been presented in parliament.
Mu Zambia! ‘now now ‘ you were praying and fasting, you have started killing things,,, na dabwa mwe! Chagwa also is another shocker, straight fro fasting I meet him mu club
Chiti’s language of intimidation is also surprising.
So obsessed with enacting a new constitution as if it will bring economic betterment and yet your eyes are wide shut at tax dodging investors robbing the country billions of dollars in mining royalties.
From my viewpoint, a Grand coalition for the protection of national wealth against global mining giants would make more sense.
Chiti:must related to Icilema, always complaining!
Chiti:must be related to Icilema, always complaining!
Iwe chitutuma ninshi wa mona muli PF! To you everything is just fine and people should not raise any issue! Uli chikopo sana we mbwa iwe!
Ba Chiti your sources of cash over the constitution will soon be over. Once they enact it no donor will give you cash to talk about the constitution.
Besides every Zambian knows that the Referendum cannot go through due to the 50 % of eligible voters close. Start thinking of other ways to make money. Leave Lungu alone to give us the new Constitution. All the things people suggested are still there.
On the other hand, even after the expensive referendum, only parliament can make the outcome become law. WE ARE FED UP OF PEOPLE OPPOSING EVEN GOOD THINGS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING.
GC, why are you misleading people on the constitution making process. Initially you claimed there were inconsistencies between the draft & the bill. This claim was unsubstantiated because it was not true. You’re now claiming there will be no bill of rights once the Constitution Bill goes through. This is another fabrication. This simply diminishes whatever remains of the reputation you once had. Following amendment of the current Constitution only the current bill of rights will remain as it cannot be amended without a referendum. The improved bill of rights will be adopted via a referendum as per law required. The Constitution Bill currently b4 Parliament & the Bill of Rights that will be subjected to the referendum in 2016 represent the people’s wishes. How can you dare the MPs not to…
The GC should just form a political party. Who are they to start telling elected MPs how to vote on bills in parliament? Who funds this bunch of gangsters?
WE WANT TO SAVE MONEY. BY NOW PEOPLE KNOW THAT YO GROUP IS PAID TO BLOCK THE CONSTITUTION NOT TO GO THRU PARLIAMENT SO THAT U TAKE CARE OF HH ‘S INTEREST.YO INTEREST IS ON ONLY ONE POINT WHICH IS ON RUNNING MATE TO BECOME VICE PRESIDENT. YOU THINK IF TAKEN TO PARLIAMENT THEY WILL SHOOT IT DOWN.YU THINK HH CAN BECOME SECOND SO THAT HE CAN BECOME VIP AND HOPING TO BECOME PRESIDENT IN CASE OF DEATH. HH HAD HIS CHANCE THIS TIME HE GOING TO BE THIRD. YOU ARE REALLY SAT~ZAMBIANS OPEN YO EYES & SUPPORT THE GOVT IT MEANS WELL FOR THE COUNTRY.WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT REMOVE THIS CLOUSE IT WILL BRING CONFUSION IN ZAMBIA. PLEASE DON’T TALK ON OUR BEH~
@kaputo davies
Quite crude, sleazy, probably even unkept, in the family, perhaps?
Uko, tell your donor to F off!!
GC my foot. Father Chiti you’re a cheat and a disgrace to the Church. Your love for money has clouded your objectivity and sense of reason. Shame on you. Follow the MPs us the people will defend them.
Ati ‘ the PF govt has decided to disobey the voice of reason and logic that the gc has been giving them’ komma sure this ka temba grouping now has more powers than the govt of this country to issue orders. Chiti what is wrong with you? Do you know your limitations. How many people of zambia are you representing? You are such a selfish buffoon. If this route fails then forget about a new constitution. I think that is your motive so that you can use it with your paymasters as a campaign tool. Aikona man this country is heavily breeding we don’t want chaps like you to finish it. We want solutions to turning things around fixing this country. We have to crush the price curtails and you should be in the fore front. For instance who is controlling the sugar curtail, the flour curtail, the…
Comment: Mr plz behave yoseif no to limitation us pipo ur claiming to b at your side ar not angry abt a constitution abt our current economy is pipo going to eat a constitution when it enacted we don’t want confusion pantu ulelyamo days why ur to talkative if thz mp’s ur intimidating ar in to small political party den they will say no
Grand coalition is the voice of the ordinary people keep up the good work.
The ordinary people voted for members of Parliament to make laws on their behalf. Who voted for the grand coalition of donor fund beggars?
Hmmm
Who elected Father Chiti to be his representative?
@THE SAINT. Well said!
Father Chiti’s comments sound like a publicity stunt to promote a grouping that is becoming less and less popular as people have more sense than to believe their fairy tale story of how the constitution making process will be rigged.
Haaaaaaaaaaa………Discard the old one and start another!!! This is Group Insanity demonstrated. These people have lost touch with reality.
Father Chiti (Cheat), you really are a sad case. At one time you said you would go around the country mobilizing support so that the constitution is not amended through parliament. What happened to your country wide mobilization. My guess is that it was a flop. What exactly do you want more donor funding or what? Clearly father Cheat you don’t have the interests of Zambians at heart.
Most of you commenting here do not understand the difference between ushering in a new Constitution and merely making an amendment(s) to it. The basis of a new Constitution includes a greater participation of the people. What they want to see in it, how they wish to be governed and their rights protected. In other words, allowing a government to exist, but ensuring there are power limitations, rule of law and protection of individual rights protected. The current Constitution accords too much executive power and has clauses that limit expression and free association. Peoples views were collected during the review commissions work and recommendations made as to the changes people wanted. This would then be confirmed in a referendum. MP’s (with PF majority) can simply vote no to all the…
… the peoples demands. What would, then, have been the purpose of a document that has clauses reflecting the peoples wishes, is robust and would stand the test of time, if MP’s could simply disregard it in favour of their own all powerful interest driven unaccountable Constitution? The Constitution is the umbrella of all laws. It is a contract between the governors and governed. The governed are the most important and their say is crucial. MP’s, especially in a majority government will work to serve only their interests (they do that with the ordinary laws everyday) The Constitution is meant to be a shield for the people against arbitrary encroachments on their being.