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PF are at the forefront of rubbishing OUR constitution- Sara Longwe

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NGOCC Chairperson Sarah Longwe(c) stresses out a point during the Rural Youth Exposure Conference and Study Tours Program which was held under the THEME: DISCOVER YOUR POTENTIAL TO GREATNESS
Sarah Longwe(c)


PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

Lusaka, 06 December 2016

The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) is greatly dismayed by the growing tendency by the Patriotic Front government to demonise anyone who speaks against their disrespect of the constitution.

Instead of giving leadership and steering the country into proper constitutionalism, the PF are at the forefront of rubbishing OUR constitution and undermining the doctrine of separation of powers which is supposed to be a pillar of our democracy. Ironically, this is the same constitution they used as a campaign tool, and even claimed to have given to us through piecemeal amendments.

Last week, the PF vilified Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) President Linda Kasonde for simply giving a professional opinion on the nullification of some Parliamentary seats by the courts of law. As #CiSCA, we are of the view that this unwarranted attack on Ms. Kasonde is an attack on all Zambians who entrusted the PF to be custodians of our constitution. It is an attack on our rights as Zambians. We, the people of Zambia, are the owners of this constitution which the PF want to treat as if it’s their personal to holder document, to be used only by themselves and their allies. We will never allow that to happen under our watch. The Constitution gives us as citizens a right and responsibility to protect the constitution from machinations like these which the PF are subjecting it to.

Some PF sympathisers even went to the extent of inciting some members of the legal profession to set up a parallel association. While we respect their right to freely associate with a professional body of their choice, the motive in this case is very unprofessional and selfish.

The level of deception by the PF and their allies is very alarming. What is even more worrying is the fact that the PF believe that only them and their members have a right to speak on the constitution and constitutionalism in the country. We want to remind the PF, for the umpteenth time, that the constitution is not personal to holder for them, but it is our birthright as Zambians, and we have the right and responsibility to ensure that it is respected by everyone – including those in power. We find it very worrying that the same people who are supposed to be custodians of the constitution are at the forefront of undermining it.

As #CiSCA, we fully support the position taken by LAZ – who are our member. The LAZ position is representative of the views of millions of well-meaning Zambians. The attempts by the PF and their associates to single out Ms. Kasonde and LAZ will not stop us from speaking on the need to promote people driven constitutionalism in the country.

If the PF believe their suggestion that LAZ is politically biased simply because they have disagreed with them, then we can safely say millions of other Zambians are also biased against the PF because the views expressed by LAZ, through Ms. Kasonde, are the views of many Zambians.

We have noted attempts by the PF to personalize the attack by singling out the LAZ President Ms. Kasonde. They have called her names and said all manner of unfounded things. It is very saddening that a ruling party in a democratic country can sink to such lows. What is even more disheartening is that the attacks on Ms. Kasonde are coming at a time when the international community is commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence.

This intimidation of our members will not silence us. We will continue to demand for people driven constitutionalism in the country. The PF must know that as a ruling party, they have a duty, an obligation to follow the constitution to the letter.

Issued by:

Sara Longwe
Interim Chairperson – #CivilSocietyConstitutionAgenda #CiSCA

26 COMMENTS

  1. The only problem is that PF has totally forgottern the platform they used to accend to power. Or may be they are scared that the opposition may use the same for accendacy

    • Meanwhile these kitchen Ngos decampaigned same constitution and the referendum and today they want to heard us lovers of the same. Truely laughable. What we are still saying is why didn’t Linda comment when hh gbm were busy taking turns at insulting the judiciary. All of you girls stayed mute. Why should we bow down to Linda utter &stupidity. We can’t be intimidated by you even if you involved your sponsors. That’s the medication you get if you choose to be selective and biased. Linda will continue swallowing her arvs in public unless she stops acting as a cadre.

    • Women for Changing Positions. Women on Top and Men beneath. Sara Longwe is like Fred Mweembe who survives on criticising whoever is in government.

  2. Another NGO has been created in the name of Civil Society for Constitution Agenda? When will funders realise that these NGOs only benefit a few? Surely there aneough NGOs out there to deal with Constitutional matters that you do not need another one created just for this. Surely how long are you going to be conned by people like Sarah Longwe? This woman has been at the helm of NGOs for so many years that her hair has changed colours from being black, grey and now brown. Surely whats wrong with Oasis Forum, NGOCC, Women for Change etc that now you need a special NGO just to make noise about the constitution? Imwe banthu!!

  3. The People of Zambia just elect the Republican President, the Vice President, MPs, Mayors & Councillors to represent them. Who elects The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) or any NGO or any Association including LAZ to represent them. What NGOs or LAZ can do is to provide free legal services for court cases involving victimised citizens not representing anyone constitutionally or make the loudest noise in order to impress their donors. LAZ is there to champion the interests of its members (Lawyers) but not the entire citizens who didn’t even vote for them. No wonder their members want to form splinter association because LAZ has involved itself more in politics at the expense of its members. This is the problem of most associations in Zambia, Politics & posh life increasing…

  4. Many days are the thief but one is for the owner and it is just a matter of time that with this behavior of publicly RAPING and desecrating our constitution by senior PF leaders with the impunity never imagined, Zambians will have their day.

  5. when someone speaks the truth the person is condemned; the lady has spoken sense; we the Zambian people wanted a people driven constitution and we got it; why does the PF want to change it? she is right in advocating to stand firm on our constitution and many of us agree with her;

    • Mwana Ngos just impose themselves on the people and they claim to be people’s representative who don’t even know them. These are simply noise makers who believes in noise to get attention and funding. They represent no one but their own bellies.

  6. LAZ is professional and the a bu problem we have as a nation is having a bunch of incompetents in government saying anything they want at anytime.

  7. These NGOs are a bunch of lost souls. How could they claim the constitution belongs to the people when they didn’t support the process of the constitution? Just wait for your constitution when your under 5 party you support come into power in 2066

  8. Usually foreigners are in the forefront. If Iam not mistaken this woman is a daughter of Mr Longwe who was manager of Mwaiseni Stores in Chingola. In any case you can’t expect a person not to react to incessant and unwarranted attacks from disreputable persons. PF is not an exception.

  9. Longwe is representing the frustrated UPND. Find the person who aired the press briefing without your consent on HH’s site and only then can you run away from fact that LAZ and UPND are hand and glove.

    • Indeed they had been so sure Upnd was going to form government and share positions. This you can tell by failures to pay legal fees, failure to pay rentals etc

  10. Ms Longwe thumbs up, you are a strong woman. Your NGO represents the views of many people.
    Your activeness in approaching the issues is well calculated. If the opposition parties were like you PF this time would be dancing.
    NAREP and UPP are too docile. Is a pain in the*** . Wake up you opposition parties why are you behaving like Tuntemba.

  11. I like 16. The PF did not have a 100% vote that gives them the right to do as they wish. The parliament is composed if independents as well as opposition who must be heard and provide checks and balances. The PF SG may not have the capacity to understand the constitution because of his inadequacy in education. why doesn’t the PF allow the minister of justice to comment? There is also the minister of information who is supposed to tell the people of Zambia the government stand. Is there no LAW that compels careless speakers to be charged? I know there is freedom of speech but what is the freedom after speech. The likes of the PF SG can be charged on the PUBLIC ORDER ACT. I am asking the learned lawyers to take up as a challenge and deal with Amos Chanda and PF SG who think they are above…

  12. can you imagine writing an exam where, amidst the exam, the invigilator keeps shouting ” wrong answer!”, “your pen is faint”, “your handwriting is so bad”, “did you read instruction no. eight?”, “I think you are using wrong paper” etc. you can never win a race where half the time you are facing backwards just like we force our leaders to do. why do we vote anyway? I thought we vote in order to have leaders that will represent us. do we vote so that we can have people that we shall control in any way? what surprises me is the tendency of voting for people we decide to criticize even before they take office. Besides, we vote so that whoever has the majority can decide for everyone. I mean absolutely everyone. it does not matter who you voted for, the winner becomes your leader…

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