THE Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) in Livingstone has commended President Edgar Lungu for delivering an inspiring speech to parliament last Friday which has addressed various expectations of stakeholders.
FODEP Livingstone District chairperson Gideon Musonda said the President’s policy direction, if well implemented and matched with appropriate resources, would move the nation to the higher level.
In a press statement released in Livingstone at the weekend, Mr Musonda also said FODEP welcomed the Head of State’s call for unity and peace in the country.
“This is because peace and unity are extremely vital for national development although the President did not touch on his earlier calls for Members of Parliament (MP)’s to make amendments or refine certain articles of our Constitution.
“It is well known that if our constitution is left untouched, the unnecessary misinterpretations of some articles that are not clear will continue and can eventually result in conflict instead of it being the main tool for conflict resolution,” he said.
Mr Musonda also cautioned parliamentarians that they should not change the objective or rationale of people’s submissions as contained in the constitution in the process of refining certain articles.
“Furthermore, FODEP is aware of more numbers of Patriotic Front (PF) MPs compared to the opposition and Independent in parliament but we urge them to seriously consider views of the opposition and Independent MPs.
“The call for inclusive governance is also about accommodating constructive divergent views,” he said.
FODEP also urged the opposition to provide effective checks and balances to Government despite their few numbers.
“FODEP also wish to urge parliamentarians and the nation at large that advocacy for inclusion of enhanced Bill of Rights should continue in order for us to have a constitution that we wholesomely desire at an appropriate time,” Mr Musonda said.
Presidential parliamentary speeches, like annual budgets by the Finance Minster are always inspiring and very ambitious. In that parliamentary speech the only thing that would be implemented is the creation of more ministers. Zambia for you. And in the annual budget, the only thing that receives full implementation is the budget for the Presidential trips.
Rivers in southern province have dried up,ati lungu ndiye alengesa.these vimafontini,vinga kuchimwise mwe. okey fine we stall the votes,kaili ndimwe vopwalala,eeh eeh,twa kamibida.how did we steal whilst you eyes were open? where were you when we were stealing.vopwalala ivi veve.you can’t even differenciate between loosing and stealing. We won and we are in power period.
The speech: It is yet another case of the triumph of rhetoric over reality.