Thursday, March 28, 2024

NGOCC tells MPs to Reject Constitution Bill Set for Debate Tomorrow

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Members of Parliament
Members of Parliament

The Non Governmental Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has urged Members of Parliament to reject the Constitution amendment Bill which comes up for debate in Parliament tomorrow.

NGOCC Executive Director Engwase Mwale in a statement issued to QFM News says her organisation joins the Grand Coalition in opposing the treacherous and risky route taken by the Patriotic Front (PF) to use Parliament to enact the new constitution, against the wishes of the Zambian people.

Ms. Mwale says NGOCC appeals to Members of Parliament from both the ruling party and the opposition to reject the Government’s Constitution Amendment Bill so as to allow the Zambian people give unto themselves a constitution that they have so desired for many years which can only be achieved through a National Referendum.

She says as confirmed by President Edgar Lungu’s public statement recently, the parliamentary direction is too risky as the country has been through this road before and did not yield any meaningful results.

She states that while the country has been at this constitution making process for far too long and spent huge amounts of resources, there is need to ensure that the contents of the constitution, as submitted by the people, are protected from manipulation especially by the ruling party.

Ms. Mwale notes that from the various statements made by the PF over the last four (4) years, it is clear that the PF lacks the necessary political will to enact a truly people-driven constitution through Parliament.

She adds that given that they seem to have the numbers in the Parliament, it is clear that the outcome of the new constitution will not reflect the aspirations of the Zambian people, but their partisan PF interests.

Ms. Mwale says NGOCC therefore appeals to the conscious of Members of Parliament to oppose the Constitution Amendment Bill and allow the Zambian people to give unto themselves a truly people-driven constitution.

She states that for the women of Zambia a new constitution will be meaningless without the expanded Bill of Rights, a process that is not a possibility without holding a national referendum.

21 COMMENTS

  1. Here we go again. So, all those efforts and funds spent on this process will go in vain? I think some of the clauses such as 50+ 1, running mate and dual citizenship should be passed through Parliament.

  2. Contrary to the NGOCC, as a senior Zambian citizen, I appeal to the Members of our Parliament to accept and adopt the Bill tabled before them.

    Let us end the dramas of failed enactments. Let the passing of this Bill inspire hope for the remaining bulk of the Constitution.

    One Zambia, One Nation.

    God bless our great country and its citizens.

    • Someone please help! This bill being debated has how many amendments or clauses? Is this where ECZ will nominate an additional number of MP’s?

  3. This whole constitutional drama being propagated by some NGOs is becoming obnoxious.govt has said it can only go thus far.is the agenda of these NGOs to hijack the process after govt wash in hands? and suppose they did,for which people are they going to drive it when they’ve no mandate?

  4. Honestly we all know that a national referendum is impracticable in the state in which our economy is and its a well known fact, sad that the people who call themselves learned individuals who even have a clearer understanding of these issues are the ones who are misleading the masses. What is their interest; to continue talking about the constitution as a way of attracting donor funds?!!! Or they just have hatred for the people in government?!!!! A bird in hand is better than 100 in….

  5. To start with there are so many stages before enacting a constitution through national referendum, for example how many people have seen, read and understand the articles in the constitution? What are the people going to be voting for will it be a YES/ NO thing lets be sensible.

  6. All comments above express my sentiments! MPs please listen to us and not the NGOs who have their own agenda. Let’s have the clauses in the constitution bill passed and then we can draw inspiration from our own success.

  7. NGOs have their own agendas please our MPs we elected to represent us not money spinning and undemocratic NGOs. Please NGOs be democratic in your own organizations before spoiling our democracy…Honorable MPs please think about Zambia for once at least!

  8. So the NGOCC does not want elected members of parliament. Representatives of the whole nation of Zambia to debate bills? Is that what not MPs were hired to do by the Zambian people? I am confused LOL!

    Viva President Nawakwi.

  9. Just ignore the NGOCC whose agenda is first to make money for themselves and secondly to campaign for their Moses as they go around the country. The sponsors of NGOCC can as well just take the money to KASISI. or indeed promote some research works at UNZA which in the ultimate shall benefit the whole nation.

  10. This is total nonsense from the NGOCC. Okay, if the Bill does not go through, scrap out this nonsense and let’s forget about the “new” Constitution. Let’s use the old one and no more Constitutional Review Commissions.

  11. Does Ms. Mwale even understand what she is saying? Zambia has wasted so much money on this constitution already and Ms. Mwale wants another constitution preparation process? She is used to free money too much. She wants to sit on a new review commission so that she can continue chewing tax payers money. We dont need such NGO’s in Zambia. Please let this constitution pass. The country needs to move on. What happens to the grand coalition after the Constitution is passed? Ndalama za free sizasila.

  12. Certain issues call for understanding, and those that do understand must comment to help the ignorant ones on such matters like ‘CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT BILL’. The meaning of passing this bill is that “MPs in parliament will give themselves mandate to remove from the draft constitution before finally adopting the constitution”. This further means that clauses like 50% + 1 vote for a winning president, running mate and dual citizenship for example or just to mention a few, may be removed during parliament debate in the house. And when it comes for adoption such will be out already, meaning MPs will adopt a constitution just fit for them as politicians. The aspirationsof the citizens will not be in the finallyadopted constitution. But if the constitution goes through a referendum as a…

    • What parliament will be doing tomorrow is not giving citizens a new constitution but rather giving the MPs authority or chance to change the will of the citizens to the will of the MPs and their political parties only. For example, if the PF is not comfortable with above clauses, the best for them is to vote for constitution amendment bill so that they can remove anything they are not comfortable with and replace it with what suits their party, this is same to all parties with MPs in parliament (MAD & UPND). And they will doing this during debate they will be voting using simple majority to scrape out or maintain anything they want. But tomorrow’s vote calls for two third majority which the PF does not have, but during debate the have the numbers to remove anything they don’t want in…

  13. What parliament will be doing tomorrow is not giving citizens a new constitution but rather giving the MPs authority or chance to change the will of the citizens to the will of the MPs and their political parties only. For example, if the PF is not comfortable with above clauses, the best for them is to vote for constitution amendment bill so that they can remove anything they are not comfortable with and replace it with what suits their party, this is same to all parties with MPs in parliament (MAD & UPND). And they will doing this during debate they will be voting using simple majority to scrape out or maintain anything they want. But tomorrow’s vote calls for two third majority which the PF does not have, but during debate the have the numbers to remove anything they don’t want in…

  14. The meaning: Certain
    issues call
    for
    understanding, and
    those that do
    understand must
    comment to help the
    ignorant ones on such
    matters like
    ‘CONSTITUTION
    AMENDMENT BILL’. The
    meaning of passing this
    bill is that “MPs in
    parliament will give
    themselves mandate to
    remove from the draft
    constitution before
    finally adopting the
    constitution”. This
    further means that
    clauses like 50% + 1
    vote for a winning
    president, running mate
    and dual citizenship for
    example or just to
    mention a few, may be
    removed during
    parliament debate in the
    house. And when it
    comes for adoption
    such will be out already,
    meaning MPs will adopt
    a constitution just fit for
    them as politicians. The
    aspirationsof the
    citizens will not be in
    the finallyadopted
    constitution. But if…

  15. Most of the comments above are meant not to support but to oppose what they support. I know people want the good constitution with 50% + 1, running mate etc, but voting for the Constitution Amendment Bill most likely means one doe not want such clauses, as the PF MPs in parliament will remove out all those during debates, and voting on simple majority. The adopt a doctored constitution without those.

  16. Comment:IT’S AN FORTUNITE MOST NGOS & SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE TURNED THE CONSTITUTION MAKING INTO A MONEY SPINNER.WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS IT THE PROCESS OR THE CONTENT?WE HAVE WASTED HUGE SUMS OF MONEY.

  17. NGOCC are fighting for survival. Constitutional issues has been their cash cow. Once passed no more donor funds through that route.

  18. We want a referendum to decide our destiny.Why are you scared?MPs are bought and we cannot trust them.Very few can be trusted but the fear is that the majority can win,so for once lets take up this responsibility and make final decision,after all we are their bosses.WE DEMAND A REFERENDUM or else get out of power by steping aside.We shall march to parliament if you try to sabotage us.We are fedup with silly and childish behaviour you are exibiting.Atleast be sober and exibity maturity on this issue.Whatever you shall do here pipo shall remember you as a courageous or a coward President Zambia has had.Remember that you can shoot at us and even cut us to pieces,you cannot prevent change.You can only delay it but its COMING!Watch out!

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