Andrew Ntewewe praises Government for bold move

The Young African Leaders Initiative has commended government for being bold enough and ensuring the legislative and institutional reforms are done expeditiously and that process be protected by a legal framework.

Government through the Minister of Justice approved and tabled before Parliament the National Dialogue Forum bill which aims at ensuring that all governance legislative reforms are backed by a legal framework to ensure the process is legally binding.

Some of the pieces of legislation to be handled in the bill include the Public Act, The electoral process Act and the Refinement of the Constitution of Zambia.

YALI President Andrew Ntewewe says this process is long overdue as the procrastination of the dialogue process under the auspices of the church failed because some individuals wanted usurp the agenda which already agreed upon by all political parties at the Siavonga meeting.

Mr. Ntewewe said others wanted to use the church led process as a shadow boxing arena to just score political points but said the bill will ensure that the agenda set up and agreed upon all political parties in the Siavonga meeting is protected and adhered to.

He has called on citizens and all stakeholders to participate fully in the National Dialogue process under the auspices of this legal framework that was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Justice.

Mr. Ntewewe noted that for the past three decades since the attainment of democracy, Zambia has grappled with various constitutional and institutional reforms that are meant to entrench democratic governance while the various constitutional reform commissions have not yielded very positive results.

He said President Edgar Lungu’s Administration has demonstrated political will to ensure that the governance reforms agenda becomes a reality and not just a dream.

“We have been made aware that there is systematic effort by disgruntled elements who would like to derail this well thought out process. We once again want to reiterate our long held view that there is only one legally and legitimate body with the responsibility to make and amend laws. The Constitution is article 62 (3) is very instructive that Parliament has the sole mandate to amend and make laws”, he added.

Mr. Ntewewe has since challenged government not abdicate its responsibility to facilitate this governance reforms agenda adding that they should not to be swayed by detractors but instead keep the eyes on the ball.

He warned that failure of the reform process will squarely fall on the shoulders of the government adding that any clandestine maneuvers to derail and frustrate should be condemned in the strongest possible terms!

Mr. Ntewewe has urged Zambians to read through this evil agenda to frustrate a very progressive governance reform agenda.