Dear Antonio Mwanza,
As Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), we have no problem with you criticizing the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) government over the unnecessary expenditure at Heroes Stadium for the constitution bill signing ceremony. We actually have the same position and we think it should have been done at State House and broadcast live on radio and Television.
But we take great exception to your attempt to mudsling us by lumping us together with the PF as if we are Siamese twins. How can you in good conscience claim that this constitution is a PF/MMD constitution? Are you so dishonest that you want to pretend to the Zambian public that your party the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) was not part and parcel of the group of people that prepared the initial draft of the constitution in 2010?
The facts are that the National Constitution Conference (NCC), established in 2007 by late President Levy Mwanawasa, produced the constitution bill about to be signed into law tomorrow by President Edgar Lungu. There have only been minor amendments to the original from 2010.
The FDD Vice-president Mr Chifumu Banda was in fact the Chairman of the NCC and had a lot of influence on the final draft constitution. You yourself Mr Mwanza even sat on the NCC and contributed to the debate by pushing for what you believed in to be included in the draft constitution. Your party representatives including yourself collected huge sums of money for sitting on the NCC and today you want to distance yourself from it?
It seems very dishonest of you to claim that “The Constitution Bill Edgar Lungu will be signing on Tuesday is not a people driven Constitution but a PF/MMD doctored Constitution. The people’s submissions were raped and adulterated”, as reported by Lusaka Times yesterday. Are you going to disown your own contributions to the Constitution just because some of the clauses you support have been left out?
How can you ignore the 80% that has passed in parliament and focus on the remaining 20%? There are also clauses that we would have loved to be included but were left out but we are not going to throw out the baby with the bath water like your party and the United Party for National Development (UPND) whose MPs also sat on the NCC and collected huge allowances.
As Jesus said, you are straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24).
Irene Musonda
Communications Director in office of the MMD President
This is a Constitution and not a contract of sale for a plot in Kapoto.
The approach taken to frame the Constitution was wrong. That is why it has been this costly, contentious, and time consuming. I repeat, the constitution of any country that boasts of a legislative organ should relegate it to the legislature. I don’t know why Zambians are always trying to reinvent the wheel. The process that works for the people is already there! Just use it!
Bandit Ireen Musonda,
Remember that it is the pathological liars of visionless PF who lied about the 90 days constitution. Now that your MMD has joined PF bandits, you want to blame Antonio Mwanza & FDD is foolish!
MMD & PF BANDITS all have have failed to give Zambians the FULL people driven constitution in 25 years! Leave FDD alone you corrupt elements, your Nevers Mumba is a visionless PF cadre, no wonder MMD surrendered prematurely.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Anyone who participated in NCC and has gone about to denounce this constitution is the greatest hypocrite, and should never rule this country. Matter of fact should resign on moral grounds. You misleading the public.
#HYPOCRITESSHALLFALL
Irene, you have hammered the nail on the head. The biggest problem with our politicians is that they are egocentric. They will either do or say anything that promotes their interests. They should exercise positive criticism and that is what is going to bring maturity in them and not the immaturity being exhibited. After all, we are all Zambians (One Zambia One Nation) fighting to see our beloved country move forward and we should not be enemies to each other whether in you the party in Government or Opposition. The Ones you who are in Opposition today will be in power tomorrow that is when they will realise that you actually need each other in this political contests. We are the same in God’s sight and no one is superior to the other. If you are treating the Government of the day…
Let’s get whatever benefit we can get from this ammendment and get on with life. Surely half a loaf is better than none – under the circumstances! Does anyone, in their right frame of mind, expect more from our current politicians? We know our leaders long enough! Let’s not live in utopia! Let’s not deceive ourselves!
Tell him Ms Musonda, people want to pretend when they know the facts. Its very disappointing from FDD and UPND. These parties fought hard for the 50% +1 clause but today, they throw it out with everything else just because proportional representation was left out. They have been told that the Bill of Rights will be part and parcel of the general elections, but no, they insist on lying to the people. Dishonest to the core and should never be trusted with power.
Interesting!!!! But the point is those against believe crucial parts were left out and have disowned the document in its current form, and MMD and PF insisted on this current document so what is wrong with accepting your baby instead of insisting that another man also . . . .in fathering the child. I will leave it there. If I were MMD I would accept that yes we are responsible for this document. It seems that even they are not proud of what they have produced.
immarturity in our politian especially bafididi & upnd! nivuto mwandi kazikambani us tinavota kudala!
Zambian opposition are a bunch of sore losers. It’s clear from your own compilation of the progress if this constitution that it has been long coming, since 1996 ?
Be serious lady. The important thing here is that finally, we found a brave Leader to push it through. Sometimes when there are too many opinions the only one that matters is the one that has done the job. Consolations, commiseration, hope you heal quickly! Move on.
ANTONIO MWANZA IS SPEAKING LIKE AN HYPOCRITE THAT HE IS. FIRSTLY HE EATS THE MONEY BY SUPPORTING THE CONSTITUTION AND THEN TURNS AROUND AND TALKS NONSENSE AFTER THE BILL IS SIGNED. COME ON ANTONIO GROW UP AND STOP WASTING OUR TIME!
In Zambia, the problem is you accept mediocrity, half-baked things, poor quality stuff and say it’s better than nothing! The point is that this constitution AMENDMENT BILL is not half a loaf because it is not actually part of a complete, fully baked loaf. It is actually a half-baked loaf. These two are not the same thing please.
Anyhow, you people will go on yapping, insulting each other and calling each other all sorts of names but none of you would have flipped through the same document before opening your big mouths. They say if you want to hide something from an African, and Zambians in particular, put it in a book! I really wonder whether a time will come when we will do something and get it right the first time. Politics, roads, hospitals, schools, business, football & sport,…