Several Civic Leaders in Mkushi District have appealed to President Edgar Lungu to facilitate for the revocation of the Clause in the Constitution Amendment Bill that requires Ward Councillors to have Grade 12 Certificates.
Chlata Ward Councillor James Nshimba (MMD) stated this to ZANIS, saying that there is need to consider that the position of Councillor should reflect the choice of the common people without regard for academic qualification.
Mr. Nshimba observed that the insistence on Grade 12 qualifications would lead to what he termed as domination of leadership by the elite.
He pointed out that democracy ought to reflect the true choice of the people, adding that this should be applied to Ward Councillors as they should come from amongst the common people.
He said that Councillors emerged from the grass root political structures such as Section Branch levels, saying that the strength and stability that these people gave their parties did not depend on Grade 12 qualifications.
Mr. Nshimba maintained that there is need for Presidential intervention in facilitating for the Amendment Bill to be revoked, explaining that such a move would accord the common citizen chance to leadership.
He stressed that there is need for people to acknowledge that leadership is about wisdom and not academic qualifications.
Recently, Gershom Musonda of Mkushi’s Civil Society for Poverty Reduction(CSPR) gave his support for President Lungu’s endorsement of the Constitution Clause that required Councillors and Members of Parliament(MPs) to have Grade 12 Certificates.
Awe ba chimbwi no plan. This was debated in parliament and suddenly they want to change it. They just sit in parliament these bafoons not knowing what they vote for or reject. What a bunch of useless MPs and councilors.
Grade 12 should remain in place we do not need councilors who can not speak and do things without thinking. A grade 12 will articulate things better than a grade 12.
This all saga is been championed by Kambwili who does not have a grade 12 certificate. He is talking about going around the country to ask people if the clause should be amended.
In fact we need tertiary qyalificatiins for any kembo to stand for elections because only then will they represent the will of the people in honest. Right now because most of them can not get alternative jobs if the get sacked by their party leaders for standing their ground and reveal corruption they just wallow in mediocrity as yes men.
More needs to be done to tighten the criteria for selection of a presidential candidate uneducated presidents have no clue on to run a country like Sata did..
Even MP s need to have some tertiary education for them to be able to debate issues from an informed point of view.
Kambwili has a degree
A constitution meant to stand the test of time being rejected in less than a month. Now even Jameson is rejecting it by telling us he just assented to what he was given. He’s now talking of further amendments.
We told you this is a document we should all own by adopting it through a referendum.
Where were you? What was your MPs doing in parliament, warming seats & waiting for their allowance? Please, this constitution chapter is closed, let’s focus on implementing on what was amended.
In fact they should have asked for a diploma for one to qualify to stand as a parliamentarian. Grade 12 is nothing nowadays, as for counsellors, stop mourning because you people represent the masses; that’s why you allocate land illegally because you don’t understand the laws and policies. Too much amafontini mu govt. We need new vibrant leaders who are educated and can understand things.
Even applicants for jobs as security guards and drivers in most companies are now required to produce Grade 12 certificates. Why should one who wants to represent me in a council or parliament be less educated than the people he wants to represent?
“Mr. Nshimba observed that the insistence on Grade 12 qualifications would lead to what he termed as domination of leadership by the elite.”
I am afraid the president being a listening man might just listen to this. That would be extremely sad.
It is very sad to actually require only grade 12 education. In the complex world that we have today, the constitution should have required the barest minimum for a councilor to be a bachelor’s degree with a merit in grade 12 maths and bare minimum MSc. or Master of Arts for MPs in a quantitative, logical and philosophical field. Then we would begin to talk. Imagine a grade 12 with division 5s in all subjects going to discuss issues in Washington with graduates from the Kennedy School of Governance and MBAs from all over. Is it any wonder we Zambians have signed almost all so-called international conventions without understanding them ending up selling away to SAP and other programs?
Sometimes I wonder what we want, why should the grade 12 certificate be an issue. Leave that clause alone. That is why we have dull MPs and Ministers who can not articulate issues, we will never develop if we continue having the caliber of MPs and Ministers that are currently representing us. We have been duped as a country due to the leaders we have had. That is why we still have some people from the UNIP era like Mukombwe never retiring from politics because it is a livehood and not a service to the people of Zambia. I am looking forward to what the next leadership will comprise of this year after elections.
Ba Lungu please stop Kambwili from amending the G12 clause.I won’t vote for PF if you decide to change the G12 clause.We are tired of being ruled by pipo who don’t understand issues.Please please listen to us Mr.president Zambians instead of politicians.It high time education system was reformed.The G12 will change the education system in Zambia.We know some politicians don’t have G12 but it’s high time they went to school.U gave us good constitution and pipo have confidence in you.Please be consistent and don’t change the cluase be a man of principle pipo will vote for you.Most young pipo are happy with the clause n soon Zambia will start developing.There will be competition now in the country.After 6 years again we’ll change to G12+ college certificate then G12 +Degree.Viva EL…
Now you have agreed what General Miyanda was saying about the constitution.The Grade 12 should apply to MPs only. PF is the government of reversals. Most of PF councillors have no Grade 12 certificate.
Thins Councillors should stop dreaming of standing as a Councillors.It’s high time u went to school. Ifwe natutemwa ba lungu pakutupela constitution ya bantu.Education is very important in decision making.Why should a cadre rule educated pipo.For them, school is not important coz of controlling pipo with degrees.i always give this example.One minister told a graduate(Beautiful lady) that why did u go to school?I’m a minister without G12 and other qualifications but i’m able to employ u.He told her that education is useless coz educated pipo are always ruled by us cadres.Therefore if ba lungu will amend the clause then i’ll lose hope in PF.we can’t continue wasting resources bcoz the G12 clause was debated in parliament n we Zambians pipo wanted it.Ba lungu should not listern to pipo…
Where were they when we went to school?
Many caders in offices without G12.Grade is needed to remove caders in offices
It is not surprising that councils are in such a mess. Most of the councilors are illiterate.
get lost..we need people can articulate issues and read..if you have no grade 12..leave ..!
I thought the constitution was people driven? In any case let’s stop kidding ourselves to imagine that a chap who has not been to grade 12 can deal with policy issues. Policy matters are complicated. In fact we should have graduates to help formulate our policies not even grade 12! We should raise the standards instead of lowering them. These so called civic leaders are either ignorant or they are being hypocrites!
Kambwili must not bull doze issues. Lungu, for once show leadership and put your foot down! What do you fear kanshi! We can’t have illiterates making laws for the educated and you think that is normal. Let’s have people in positions of decision making who are able to understand and analyze issues critically and not ‘yes’ men all the time! Kambwili, you are a donkey! Can’t understand what is wrong with these f00ls! You say something today and just after a few days you reverse the decision! Incompetence at its best!
#Joseph Mwape, this is sure a government of reversals. i though this was hailed by PF as a people driven constitution. Now everyone knows why Zambian town and cities are in a mess. we have counsillors who can’t understand how local govt should function and all they know is sell land (including public parks) illegally to more than one person. Lungu should not change the clause.
sorry meant councillors
Ba House fly you think that only elite can think and the rest do not think……….Musalula uyo.if it was so we were not going to be independent to date because the people who fought for the freedom we are enjoying today had very humble education and you can still say they were not thinking.
Why do you allow people who dont think to vote………….if they dont think they can not be trusted with a vote because their thinking is not there.What an insult to our fore Father and less privileged in society especially those in the rural parts of our beloved Country Zambia.
Let the people chose their own within themselves and not a situation were Counselors would be coming from urban areas to go and stand in the rural areas just coz of the Grade Twelve qualification.
after saying all…
The laws of the land are not changed for a class of people hence all those crying foul or foolish must adapt to the current laws. The die was cast and end of stories. It is a new era and every one is not above the law. We can not keeping on changing otherwise what have we achieved then? Let’s learn to read thoroughly before we append our signatures to any document in our lives otherwise one day we will sign for our immediate extermination of our lives.
“…the insistence on Grade 12 qualifications would lead to what he termed as domination of leadership by the elite…He pointed out that democracy ought to reflect the true choice of the people, adding that this should be applied to Ward Councillors as they should come from amongst the common people…”
My take is that ‘common people’ should at least aspire to have a grade 12 certificate as a minimum. Why should we be working against Sustainable Development Goal No. 4 on Education, just because one ward councilor wants to remain in the chamber for the sole purpose selling plots for a living!
By the way, since when did one rural ward councillor become ‘several civic leaders’..!?
Nshimba must be encouraged to move with the times. Someone said that if you can’t move with change, well change will change you.
It is Elitist and does intervene with true Democracy. However there has to be some standard set and this was agreed in Parliament as @ 1 has stated. That is proof that all the learned Members who are highly educated are not so educated after all and proves the point that this rule is unfair where someone can demonstrate ability through Life Experience, experiential
Learning.
it will be very sad if this is reversed. these leaders must know the importance of education.what has happened will force them to look at education differently
Nshimbi Just borrow your kids’ G12 certificate if you don’t have one.
‘He pointed out that democracy ought to reflect the true choice of the people, adding that this should be applied to Ward Councillors as they should come from amongst the common people.’ SURELY, who told you that Grade 12 do not come from among the common people? to be a cleaner, a messenger or security guard, they want you have grade 12 certificate. what more a civic leader who will discuss development and strategies of development, planning and supervising councils, what qualification wud you need?? this is ok, belengenifye azawaizi, ncito yasiiila imwe. that time inaapita…iyi manje niyakine