Patriot Front agrees with Grand Coalition that Parliamentary Constitution amendment is fraud ,snubs submission to Parliamentary committee on legal affairs
The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People-Driven Constitution (GC) has noted with interest that the Patriotic Front has finally seen the light and taken a position against the
parliamentary route to constitution amendment by snubbing the appearance and submission to the committee on legal affairs.
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Chama told QFM news on Monday 16th November 2015 that the Patriotic Front Party had deliberately opted not to appear before the Parliamentary
Committee on Legal Affairs which is receiving submissions on the Constitution Bill which is before Parliament because they do not want to contradict the government position on the contents
of the final draft constitution.
The GC notes that the contents of the Constitution Amendment Bill (2015) reflect the voice and aspirations of the Zambian People, therefore should not be tampered with through debates. To this
effect, on 21st October 2015, the GC announced that it would decline a request from the National Assembly of Zambia through the Committee on Legal Affairs, Gender and Human Rights to make
submissions on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2015 as this would be validating a process that was aimed at altering the contents of the draft through debates. The GC further appealed to all
stakeholders earmarked to be invited to this committee to decline appearance so as not to legitimize this process.
A number of organisations heeded the GC’s call and refused to appear before the Parliamentary Committee. It is gratifying to note that among those who have taken the GC’s position seriously
and heeded our appeal, is the Patriotic Front. The GC also notes that all the major political parties in Zambia have also stayed away from the parliamentary submission. It is encouraging to see that for once, the PF have chosen to see issues from the perspective of the Zambian People and stayed away from debating and altering the content of the final draft constitution which is the people’s voice.
It is our hope that the government will take note of the disapproval of all its stakeholders –including the ruling party — who have declined appearance before the committee to submit on the
Constitution amendment bill (2015), and that our MPs will also take this into consideration when the constitution bill is presented to them.
The Grand Coalition maintains that 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
Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia New Constitution, Better Lives for All democratic practice in the constitution making process and also the PFs’ own manifesto.
It is the conviction of the Grand Coalition 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. While we commend the PF for listening to the people on the Parliamentary process, we now call on the PF leadership to engage the Minister of Justice on the constitution making process in order to revert to the promises they made to enact the constitution through a referendum.
The Grand Coalition stands by its position that the Parliamentary route is undemocratic and fraudulent and calls on all MPs who have the interests of the people at heart not to support such a
process.
Issued by:
Fr Leonard Chiti
Grand Coalition Chairperson
About time. There seems to be a light of agreement at the end of this old long winding tunnel.
What happened to the 90-day constitution? Those stupid lies will catch up with the PF in the next few months – 2016. How dare they snub such an important undertaking instead of providing the way forward.
Tragedy is to entrust two below average lawyers in Ngosa Simbyakula and Edgar Lungu to preside over a constitution making process. These guys failed to amend Public Order Act as Minister of Home Affairs and Justice. Ngosa and Edgar are clueless, visionless.
Then let’s just have the referendum alongside with 2016 general elections. And the benefit of it is that the simple majority will carry the day.
THE PF’S SCHEME TO DELAY THE CONSTITUTION PROCESS MAKING UNTIL AFTER THE 2016 ELECTIONS HAS WORKED. THEY DID NOT WANT THE 50% + 1 AND OTHER PROVISIONS SUCH AS THE RUNNING MATE. WHEN THEY DECIDED TO DO A PARTIAL AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION THEY KNEW THAT STAKEHOLDERS WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT AND SUBSEQUENTLY IT WOULD PROVIDE AN EXCUSE TO DELAY THE ENACTMENT OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION. IN ADDITION IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT PF WINS THE ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR LUNGU WOULD THEN CLAIM THAT HE QUALIFIES TO STAND FOR TWO TERMS UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION THAT WOULD BE ENACTED AFTER THE ELECTIONS IN 2016: THE CASE OF BURUNDI.
@ MANO MAMBULWA
YOU MADE A MISTAKE, NOT “IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT PF WINS THE ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR”, BUT “WHEN PRESIDENT LUNGU AND PF WINS NEXT YEARS ELECTIONS”
@UFO, I DID NOT MAKE ANY MISTAKE. I MEANT WHAT I SAID THAT “IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT PF WINS” BECAUSE I AM CERTAIN THAT PF WILL NOT WIN IN THE NEXT YEAR’S ELECTIONS. LET ME TELL YOU THAT YOUR LEADERS IN PF HAVE NO CLUE ON HOW TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE CREATED FOR THE COUNTRY. THE SITUATION WILL ONLY GET WORSE AND WORSE AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE ELECTIONS. MIND YOU THIS RAIN SEASON THE COUNTRY WILL EXPERIENCE A DROUGHT, CONSEQUENTLY THERE WILL BE A POOR HARVEST OF MAIZE WHICH WILL LEAD NOT ONLY TO HIGH PRICES OF MEALIE MEAL BUT ALSO TO THE SHORTAGE OF THE COMMODITY. WITH THE SHORTAGE OF POWER MORE JOBS WILL BE LOST AND THE KWACHA WILL CONTINUE TO DEPRECIATE. WITH THESE AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS HOW CAN THEY WIN?
This is a well calculated move by the PF…they have done another DONCHI KUBEBA!. They knew that UPND and others would shun this. then they also shun it. RESULT: We go to elections in 2016 using the same old animal driven constitution. PF are clever…they have everything planned.
@Yello. No PF is not CLEVER. The right words are CRAFTY, SLY or SCHEMING. And for your information all these words mean one thing – STINKING DISHONEST.
God is watching…..Today is 18th November, exactly One month after our National prayers. What is wrong with us Zambia for us to believe that some jobs are not meant for everyone and power is with us to make the necessary changes………….Maybe we can change in the grave. The list of failures is endless.
“God is watching….”
Apparently this god of yours does not get tired of watching f.oolish people doing f.oolish things that end up harming innocent children.
Ok. He’s watching, so what? The sun will shine just as brightly tomorrow and the mayhem continues. What are you going to do? Sit on your buns and wait, for another 2000 years? Save me the bulldust!
GCC, why are you twisting Mr Chama’s words for cheap publicity. Mr. Chama simply said he did not want to contradict GRZ by submitting anything when GRZ has made it clear what it desires through the Constitution Bill. Why do you thrive on gullible mentality?
Because Chama needs to zip up and concern his self with the affairs of the party, not the administration. That’s Kambwili’s job!
Problem with PF ever since they won the first round of elections was that every one is a spokesperson. In previous administrations, unless asked a direct question, no person besides the president and spokesperson used to make public comments. Kwaisa abaishibo kulanda tata kwa letwa! Ifinya mbalala fyekafyeka!
This constitution making process is a cash-cow for politicians and hapless NGOs. The next politicians will be handed the baton to ‘eat’ their fill from a bogus, albeit straightforward process. How disgusting!Ka
Father Chiti is a cheat. The position why the PF did not appear before the committee was explained earlier on by government spokesperson.
“THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THE PF TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE PF WERE THE ARCHITECTS OF THE PROPOSED REFORMS”
BUT LUNGU ON NATIONAL TELEVISION BLAMES THE OPPOSITION. WE THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT A PARLIAMENT DRIVEN CONSTITUTION BUT A PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION. I SALUTE ALL MP S OPPOSING THE MOVE. THANK YOU.