The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has requested President Lungu to dismiss the petition by Heritage Party Leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda for lack of merit.
In a statement released to the media, YALI Governance Advisor Isaac Mwanza said that his organization is sadden that General Miyanda could blatantly accuse Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula as having failed to provide leadership when Government had proceeded to table the Bill before the National Assembly for debate and enactment.
Mr. Mwanza said that even a cursory reading of the petition, makes clear that there is no message worth the President’s consideration and could, in the extreme, be read as a pointless attempt to delay, if not stop, the Zambian people at home and abroad from coming up with a progressive constitution.
Below is the full statement
YALI says Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s Petition to President Lungu is out of time and without merit.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has requested President Lungu to dismiss the petition by Heritage Party Leader Brig. Gen. Godfrey Miyanda for lack of merit.
Even a cursory reading of the petition, makes clear that there is no message worth the President’s consideration and could, in the extreme, be read as a pointless attempt to delay, if not stop, the Zambian people at home and abroad from coming up with a progressive constitution.
We note with sadness that General Miyanda who, as leader of the Heritage Party, had every opportunity to participate in the National Consultative Forum organised by the Technical Committee, either chose not to, or else failed to attend these forums where he would have put across his arguments or views on the issues he now puts across to the President as reason to delay the enactment of our new, or amended constitution.
Brig. Gen. Miyanda, having been a member of parliament for 10 years and, as Vice President of the Republic, was leader of House, is aware of the further opportunities available to him to present his views to the National Assembly itself, as a citizen and as leader of a recognised political party.
Brig. Gen. Miyanda is well-known, and highly respected, for his acute awareness of both the legal and political processes which guide both our legislative and political processes, and no one will believe that he was not aware that he could have made his views known at any stage.
We can only surmise that Gen. Miyanda’s petition should not be taken seriously, except for its dramatic effect in making Zambians aware that the National Assembly has in fact sent the two constitutional bills to His Excelkencyvthe President for his assent.
YALI believes, therefore, that there is no reason whatsoever for the President to delay his assent to the two constitutional Bills presented to him by the National Assembly for his signature.
YALI considers Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s call to President Lungu “to facilitate a national indaba”, to be nothing more than a seasoned politician asking for another opportunity to do what politicians do best, that is, to talk endlessly. We readily accept that, that is their job!
We wish to remind both Brig. Gen. Miyanda and President Lungu of his own words at the opening of the National Constitutional Consultative Forum when he said: “the national convention, which marks the conclusion of the formal consultative process on drafting the Zambian constitution, demonstrates that Zambians are capable of rising above personal interests and work together for the common good of the nation”.
We believe those words to have been conclusive. We see no reason to re-open the consultative process as suggested in Brig. Gen. Miyanda’s call for a new indaba.
Lastly, YALI wishes to express sadness that General Miyanda could blatantly accuse Zambia’s Minister of Justice, Hon Simbiyakula, SC as having failed to provide leadership when Government had proceeded to table the Bill before the National Assembly for debate and enactment.
Those unwarranted attacks against the Minister of Justice are unjustified and uncalled for because Hon Simbiyakula was bound by the collective agreement. We know Brig. General Miyanda would have loved to see Government table the White Paper and begin to attack Government for having done so when Government had promised they would not do so.
YALI now calls upon President Lungu to proceed with all haste, to sign the Bills placed before him by the National Assembly. With his eyes open, of course!
Signed
Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE
i don-t see any logic in this article …..
MR NICE, I AGREE WITH YOU THIS ARTICLE IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, THESE ARE BOYS WITH NO SENSE OF DIRECTION, HONESTLY HOW DO YOU CALL GENERAL MIYANDA’S PETITION AS ENEMY OF PROGRESS. AM GLAD THAT MY BELOVED PRESIDENT PROMISED TO STUDY THE SAME BEFORE THE GRAND SINGING OF NATION CONSTITUTION.
BRAVO EDGAR,AND BRAVO GENERAL MIYANDA YOU TWO CAN MAKE A GOOD PAIR.
This is the worst piece of trash I’ve read this Christmas season. What is the education level of these YALI people.It seems they fail to read and analyse issues intelligently. I hope Zambia has better calibre youth than this or we are in trouble.Gen Miyanda raised important issues.He didn’t ask to throw away the new constitution but asked that the wording of some of the new laws be corrected to prevent ambiguity. Some clauses do not make sense. Our MP’s were supposed to have debated intelligently and looked at the wording ..thats why they are called LAW makers.As for the Justice Minister he was supposed to have stated Government position instead of saying PF does not have a position and yet they have the numbers in parliament to sway votes.
No one Expect HH Cadres to Agree anything the
The PF Governancy does anyway, Just like Hungry Hyena and Fat Albert who critises and Politicise anything the Government does
Thus Pathetic !
Miyanda is a time waster and he surely deserves a bit of canning from these guys. He is an enemy of progress. He wants an a indaba again so he can get allowances like he did during the Conventions. Why didn’t he convince the convention on those clauses? Did he manage to make himself and Chiluba in 1996 to give Zambians what the PF are giving us now? Doesn’t he know that Zambia is a multi racial and multi religious country despite it being Christian Nation as declared? Let his party park and go if he can’t raise the required 1000 supporters
Those complaining against this Article are UPND cadres who want the Constitution delayed so HH must not face the 50 percent plus 1 and also have the headache to choose who the running mate must be. Surely Miyanda doesn’t make sense at all. He eat the money at the Convention and now wants more money and more talking. This is unacceptable. Who told him the Miyanda called Indaba will be final and no one will query what will come from the Indaba?
Myopic Zambians! Do you honestly think the constitution is just about 50 + 1? No wonder your rights are trumped on day in day out.Do you not realise that laws,for instance those concerning land are also important? No wonder Foreigners can easily come into the country and acquire massive tracts of land while you Zambians are just focussed on 50 + 1. Do you not relaise that you have a right to information? Because you don’t have it right now government can conduct shoddy business without your knowing but you end up suffering the consequences.We are in so much debt and have no power as ordinary Zambians to voice our concerns. Wake up!We are Zambians first and PF,UPND,MMD ,UNIP later.
Iwe ka maharaji, don’t try to sound wise here when ur just an empty upnd cadre. You people are too selfish. So you want everyone to agree with your views no matter how foolish or else u get emotional. You and this Miyanda are wasting your time. No army can defeat an idea whose time has come. It’s not time to yap and sound wise…but for actual implementation. Yapping has wasted our time as a country
UPND cadres like complaining. How do you support Miyanda just because you afraid of the 50 percent plus 1?
I find it hard to be attracted by the opposition because they are ever condemning anything that govt is doing. At least if they can agree on one or two I would believe and find time to support them.
Dear Isaac Mwanza, please note that your article is contradicting it self. On one hand you are saying BGGM’s petition ” lacks merit”, and yet on the other hand you agree with with the petition that President Lungu should open his eyes before he signs. Again on one hand you indirectly admit you have only done a cursory read, and yet on the other you want the Republican president to sign with “haste”.
Did you know that more often than not, the more subjective one is, the more contradictory he/she is likely to end up.
Let’s not waste more time with useless indabas. Someone tell me, how many indsbsd hsve we had, even on the economy? Remember the Indaba headed by Sebastian Kopulande durin Mwanawasa’s time? What was achieved from that jullBaloo except waste resources?
Some people are just attention seekers. Let’s make progress.
Some bloggers may have issues with YALI, but respect their opinion on this matter. As valid as General Miyanda’s views on the constitution may be (And I agree with a number of points he has raised), this, in my view, is an issue that can be handled through amendments by parliament in future. It would be inadvisable to take the constitution back to parliament for further debate because of one intelligent, but eccentric General’s objections. This will just delay the whole process.
I agree with YALI, miyanda is a failed politician who want to delay the amendment of the constitution after more that 50 years. Let the President put aside his trash and assent to the bill. We have no time to waste like Miyanda!!
UPND CADRES ARE NOW COMPLAINING AGAINST ISAAC MWANZA FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH. SHAME ON MIYAND AND HH
brig gen miyanda is jst a finished polician
MIYANDA IS A STRANDED GENERAL ON THE BATTLE FRONT WHO CAN NO LONGER HOLD A GUN BCOZ OF POVERTY. HH HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THIS BY JUST GIVING HIM KANINI TO SAY RUBBISH. THIS IS THE WORST INDIISCIPLINED SOLDIER ZED HAS EVER HAD WHO HAS BEEN AGAINST PRESIDENTS (COMMANDER IN CHIEFS) EACH PRES. HE GETS ISSUES TO PUT FORWARD ON EACH SHAME.
-IGNORE THIS MAN HE WAS JUST SENT AT FEE.
-THIS IS A MAN OF GOD BUT POVERTY IS DAMAGING
# DONT FOLLOW MONEY FOLLOW CHRIST HE WILL GIVE U WHAT U NEED
=ZAMBIANS NEED THE NEW PRES. SIGN IT PLEASE NEXT FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY WHERE WAS THIS SOLDIER WE HAVE BEEN SAYING ITS DELAYED AND HIM WAS BUSY ASLEEP WAITING TO COME LATE TO DELAY US GOD FOR GIVE U
PRINCIPAL OF SHAKA NEVER LEAVE YOUR ENEMY BEHIND – UMANAFYALA OMINA LIMO
I would like to tell my brothers in the opposition especially those being led by HH + UPND and the fallen FORMER MMD AND NEVERS,AND FDD AND NAKAWALA WAKWI not leaving out the General Miyanda you have been hypocritical and blaspheming us for the past 20 years;so much that the hope we had of making the People Driven Constitution was lost and we forgot about it.
Now PF has come we the people of Zambia are even happy that they resurrected this issue and have finally Made it; therefore let not the General,Nawakwi,Mumba and Hypocritical UPND MP’s and HH all of you who have been trying to sabotage the process of His Excellence The President E Lungu’s effort fail.God deals with the heart of a person,God told Prophet…
Low energy petition, just assent we move on please
The travesty here is not so much that the sleeping General has petition the Constitution making process, its that the President has even bothered to listen to his rantings! How long has the PF Government been calling for comments on this Constitution? How selfish and immature of the Zambian opposition to try and hijack a process that has costed the nation so much money? President Lungu, please sir, sign that Bill into law before they shoot you to avoid losing in the next election 50+ 1! Let the country get a majority leader and if the opposition consider themselves popular, can they ready themselves for 2016 under the new law. Let HH choose between Banda and GBM!