MMD women applaud constitution debate

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) National Women’s Chairperson Lisa Passi has commended the bravery and clarity of the MMD Chief Whip, who is also MMD Chipata Central Member of Parliament Honourable Mutolo Phiri and MMD National Secretary and Chembe Member of Parliament Mwansa Mbulakulima for the strong submissions made to the Constitutional Bill debate in parliament on Wednesday 25th November 2015 during second reading.

Mrs. Passi said the MMD’s contribution has given clear direction to the debate and a strong push towards making progress in what has been an expensive and frustrating process for the people of Zambia since 1972 when the first Constitutional Review Commission was set up. She said the the truth about how the earlier constitutional bill presented by MMD in 2011 failed is finally being exposed because many Zambians have been misled by the Patriotic Front (PF) that the MMD failed to bring a new Constitution.

She said MMD women are very happy that the two MPs have shown the nation that the MMD has been consistent on this matter and not influenced by any external factors since 2011 when this same bill was presented to parliament but was defeated by the PF and the United Party for National Development (UPND) for selfish partisan considerations.

She said the UPND in particular had a lot to answer for because they even took part in the National Constitution Conference set up by late President Levy Mwanawasa but were against the bill in 2011

The UPND in 2011 said they were against the bill because it did not contain the 50%+1 and Running Mate clauses. Yet they voted against the bill yesterday even though it has the two Clauses they insisted on. Now they have a different reason which shows how insincere they are. They ate the huge allowances for sitting on the NCC but were against the bill in the end.”

“The UPND in 2011 said they were against the bill because it did not contain the 50%+1 and Running Mate clauses. Yet they voted against the bill yesterday even though it has the two Clauses they insisted on. Now they have a different reason which shows how insincere they are. They ate the huge allowances for sitting on the NCC but were against the bill in the end.”

“The PF walked out of Parliament before the vote in 2011 but want to pretend today that it was our fault that the bill failed. Even if the bill was not perfect, why didn’t PF and UPND vote for the preogressive clauses in the 2011 bill and then come back later to debate the other clauses that were not there? In fact, the two clauses the UPND were insisting on were put to the referendum that we had planned to have after the 2011 elections. Today the UPND is saying they want the whole constitution subjected to a referendum when the same thing could have been achieved years ago,” said Mrs Passi.

Mrs. Passi said she is pleased that the MMD position in the debate has been consistent all along and was first explained by Party President Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba during the Presidential debates held at Mulungushi Conference Centre in the run-up to the January 2015 Presidential Election.

Mrs Pass said with a 20-year record of experience in governance and having presided over two constitutional Review commissions, MMD is the best placed party to understand the complexities of enacting a new constitution in the interests of the nation.

She that the MMD position was supported by the American Government through its Ambassador as the most practical and cost-effective method given Zambia’s serious liquidity challenges.

She urged the PF Government to be sincere with Zambians in this matter for a change because they had initially promised the people of Zambia a new constitution within 90 days of coming into office which they later admitted was just a political gimmick to get into power. She sounded a strong warning that if the bill is mutilated by the PF as is feared by certain MPs such as Professor Geoffrey Lungwanga, the PF Government will have to answer to the people of Zambia, who are already fed up with them and are ready to boot them out in 2016.