JUSTICE Minister Given Lubinda says government has started the process of consultation with stakeholders on holding another referendum on the enhanced Bill of Rights following the failure of the one held alongside the elections.
Mr Lubinda told Parliament in a ministerial statement that once consultations have been concluded, a comprehensive statement on the way forward will be issued with regards the adoption of the enhanced bill of rights through a referendum.
He says it’s imperative that the bill of rights is enhanced in view of the amendments made to the constitution.
Mr Lubinda states that the PF Government remains committed to ensuring that the will of the Zambian people is respected and that citizens are given another opportunity as soon as it is practically possible to vote in a referendum and give themselves an enhanced Bill of Rights.
He adds that it is government’s intentions to continue sensitizing people on the importance of participating in the referendum and having an enhanced bill of rights.
Mr Lubinda says the responsibility of government to sensitize the people on the importance of the referendum and the Bill of Rights does not end merely because the referendum of August 11 did not succeed.
Mr Lubinda has since urged stakeholders to get engaged in the sensitization of the people as the country prepares for the next processes.
[QFM]
Another unplanned expenditure coming soon just so that they can get tenders to print fliers and papers. If the people refused the referendum, why would they accept now?
Double Tobela Loadshedding Reloaded Promotion, Same Electricity, Same Darkness-Twice as Long
Eeish uko!
PF nivipuba, the most incompetent govt ever in the history of mankind. Imagine, this is 2016 yet again the visionless PF is taking people to dununa backwardness, chimbwi without plan for real.
PF claimed victory in the August elections with ghost voters from ECZ but the referendum failed to even gain a million votes. Wasting time & resources.
Otherwise, if PF had genuinely won, the referendum would have been voted for, going for the PF ghost voters collaborated by the useless ECZ.
Stop wasting money, instead pay the civil servants their dues since not being paid the salaries for the past 2 months.
The Skeleton Key
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“Mr Lubinda states that the PF Government remains committed to ensuring that the will of the Zambian people is respected and that citizens are given another opportunity as soon as it is practically possible to vote in a referendum and give themselves an enhanced Bill of Rights”
The parot of a minister continued “The importance of the referendum and the Bill of Rights does not end merely because the referendum of August 11 did not succeed”
First of all, the referendum of Aug. 11th succeeded because there was an outcome that could be interpreted! Lubinda now appears to think there should have been only one outcome of the vote. On the other hand if Govt. thinks the BoR is extremely important, there are practical steps they can take such as making access to water and sanitation…
… making access to water and sanitation universal and for 24/7. Lastly, why does Lubinda easily accept that ECL was re-elected president of the republic in the same elections of Aug. 11th ?
The same people who de campaigned it will do the same. waste of resources.
time wasters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reason given for holding it alongside elections was cost effectiveness so where will resources come from this time to hold it separately when a number of public figures had originally pushed that it be held on its own? There is something fishy which is propelling the PF government to push for assent of this bill by pushing it down the throats of the citizenry! Encore referendum? Never heard it before but in Zambia for what we get in leadership anything is possible!
See the folly of African leaderships: They listen to diplomats and rubbish the opposition parties’ points of view. This is why faith in the local governance and elections body is always in question. It is as if voters are just there to usher in dictators and then get disposed of to pander to other dictums. What a mess. So now, who is going to resign for this non.sense? Trust me, not in Africa – it was all the voters’ FAULT and it is time to bring them around again…
If that day comes ni one should go out and vote. They should vote for themselves. We give them zero vote this time around. Let them bring it on! We are ready. Oh boy I would like to vent my frustration on the increased cost of leaving in our country. They think we are dummies. Mind u i voted for EL bcoz i feared the prospect of being ruled by a Tonga. This time around…. am regreting just like you reading this piece.
and Lubinda should go to hell
Before you laugh at kids who believe in Father Christmas, think of adults who believe in PF. You are yet to regret chiicolor.
Is that a priority and can that be done by an illegitimate govt? This illegitimate Minister should be busy strengthening Concourt’s capacity. Instead of 6 compromised judges at Concourt there should be 13 professional judges. Does Lubinda understand basic law? The Bill of Rights exists and is currently under the jurisdiction of the High Court. The sooner the UPND Petetioner’s rights are respected the sooner legitimacy is restored in Zambia. The Concourt Petetion is very much alive and until it is heard,determined and the Winner of the election is declared there wont be peace in Zambia and Lungu and his govt will remain illegal and illegitimate no matter what the illegal Minister says.
Bring it and let us go for voting = it will fail like Satan the way he was thrown from Heaven. If PF you worn the lections you should also have won the referendum: but may PF said NO to it which means they knew what was wrong in it. Even Villagers in Northern, Luapula, Eastern, Muchinga, Copperbelt voted NO. You should be ashamed. I have not mentioned Southern, Western and North western because you always insult them. But why did people from the other provinces fail to support you on that referendum. This referendum was prepared by Satanist with satanic motives.
Some comments above show that even though some people can write comments & politicise they are far from understanding what is good for them. Do you really think enhanced Bill of Rights is for the benefit of GRZ? Have you even read it? Do you think GRZ mourns because Bill of Rights has failed? The attitude of enjoying & worshiping failure & poverty is what keeps us Africans backwards. We are so allergic to success, knowledge & understanding. Criticising is allowed, but criticising everything including what is meant to improve your welfare is bad sickness! What do you achieve?
Please Government this time EDUCATE PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY before they VOTE. Not letting the masses be told wrong stuff. Most people thought these rights were about GAY RIGHTS and selling their souls to the DEVIL(LIES,LIES,LIES). … I VOTED YES. And i think i will not be lining up to vote once again.
mr minister sir, are you forcing peolpe to do what they dont want? we said NOOOO, but you insist to say we need it then make it according to your wish becoz thats what you want. if that is the case then lets also have naother general elections so that those who lost can also have a secnd chance. Otherwise this is total hyppcrise.
Who’s we? please do not make it general, this is for the people who did not know what the referendum was all about, besides this referendum is not about PF or UPND but for the good of the citizens, do not mislead other people. UPND won the elections in their three strong hold provinces and the PF in their seven provinces, simple math.Why do you want to continue overshadowing your mind with these things and fail to see good things? this is not good for you.
Jealous UPND will block the referendum again.
what jealousy is there in common sense; already you are planning how to get some of the borrowed money into your pockets by fake referendums; if the constitution cannot be respected how is this charade of a referendum work? put that money where it will generate profits to pay back so hopefully we can be free again in 30 or 40 years time;
I thought these PF chaps had learnt lessons now I can see they are indeed a bunch of incorrigible characters! May be those who support HH could be right after all!! As Justice Minister I thought the focus would be on the Constitution which even courts have failed to interpret! The referendum is a gone issue! People now want to hear how the economy will improve not this nonsense!
@chanda felix i tend to wonder if some of you pf caders know the reason why God decided to put that brain in your heads, you always talk about 3 provinces and 7 provinces, if you sit down and put your two buttocks down you will realize that upnd won central province too, that leaves you with 6 six provinces, lusaka and copperbelt, the difference was marginal in cb and lsk, actually the total votes upnd got from lusaka and copperbelt cancels the total votes pf got in luapula, northern and muchinga provinces, this leaves you with eastern province, which is canceled out by southern province, and Western and northwestern covers up for the shortfall in cb and lsk.
You should remember that you need 50% of those with NRCs,for a referendum to go through, a referendum is not just about registered voters, bane it is a huge task, but with the current political tension, mukose because i doubt if people who voted for upnd with waste time to go and line up for Chavula to come and cook up figures.
But you people surprise me.When Kambwili hinted that it not be possible to rehold the referendum, you called him all sorts of names. What’s it that you want. Am sure if government reinstated fuel you’ll some nasty words for the move. Ikaleni fye.