The 16 day National Dialogue Forum (NDF) ended in Lusaka with over 400 delegates adopting resolutions to the Zambian Constitution that for the very first time, brings to an end a number of challenges that Zambians have been faced with in governance and the electoral system.
As ruling Patriotic Front Chairperson for the Legal Committee of the Central Committee Brian Mundubile describes it as, “a huge success” especially that it aims at building participation, transparency, gender and accountability.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Mundubile said the NDF has confirmed that Zambians can dialogue without the the mediation of other people including foreigners but that as a people, “Zambians can accommodate each other.”
Of the over 400 delegates, the majority were from the professional bodies, Non Government Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, law makers with political party representation being in the minority – Hon Mundubile who is also Northern Province Minister says, this was a balanced and credible representation.
The NDF concluded with the adoption of three bills to do with Constitutional and Institutional reforms, separation of powers, Judicial reforms, civility in politics and the Public Order Act and other submissions that came from the Church which were key milestones.
Bills such as the draft constitution amendment bill, the electoral process amendment bill and the draft on the Public Order Act among which have seen the adoption of a mixed member representation system, the adoption of a coalition government in the event that no candidate obtains 50% + 1 which would see a complete transformation in the governance system.
Under the Electoral Systems Bill, the Civil Society Organisations (CSO) at the NDF moved a motion introducing a coalition government that would bring by-elections to an end, prevent election runoffs and as a result, save the costs of running by-elections in the country.
Hon. Mundubile explains that under this bill, when a constituency seat falls vacant, there would be no by-elections to fill the vacancy as the political party under which the member of parliament was elected would only nominate their member in an intra-party kind of election system to make a replacement.
This would also provide for the entry of women and marginalised people in parliament and councils through the ‘mixed member’ electoral system.
And the NDF confirmed that the National Assembly shall only dissolve at the date of the general election to allow Members of Parliament complete their full 5 year term.
“You see, this is another big milestone in our system where our women, youths and the marginalised will now see themselves in the governance system of the nation,” explained the Mporokoso lawmaker adding that “once our people begin to understand the products of the NDF, they will also understand the benefits which are enormous.”
The 1955 Public Order Act was also another topical issue at the NDF which had never been amended for a very long time.
He said the forum reaffirmed the people’s right to freedom of conscience by removing Section 9 clause 1 of the Public Order Bill which penalised people for refusing to sing the National Anthem meaning that now, it will not be mandatory for any group except at public functions while the period of hearing of a Presidential has been revised to 30 days from the controversial 14.
The 16 day National Dialogue Forum (NDF) ended in Lusaka with over 400 delegates adopting resolutions to the Zambian Constitution that for the very first time, brings to an end a number of challenges that Zambians have been faced with in governance and the electoral system.
As ruling Patriotic Front Chairperson for the Legal Committee of the Central Committee Brian Mundubile describes it as, “a huge success” especially that it aims at building participation, transparency, gender and accountability.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Mundubile said the NDF has confirmed that Zambians can dialogue without the the mediation of other people including foreigners but that as a people, “Zambians can accommodate each other.”
Of the over 400 delegates, the majority were from the professional bodies, Non Government Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, law makers with political party representation being in the minority – Hon Mundubile who is also Northern Province Minister says, this was a balanced and credible representation.
The NDF concluded with the adoption of three bills to do with Constitutional and Institutional reforms, separation of powers, Judicial reforms, civility in politics and the Public Order Act and other submissions that came from the Church which were key milestones.
Bills such as the draft constitution amendment bill, the electoral process amendment bill and the draft on the Public Order Act among which have seen the adoption of a mixed member representation system, the adoption of a coalition government in the event that no candidate obtains 50% + 1 which would see a complete transformation in the governance system.
Under the Electoral Systems Bill, the Civil Society Organisations (CSO) at the NDF moved a motion introducing a coalition government that would bring by-elections to an end, prevent election runoffs and as a result, save the costs of running by-elections in the country.
Hon. Mundubile explains that under this bill, when a constituency seat falls vacant, there would be no by-elections to fill the vacancy as the political party under which the member of parliament was elected would only nominate their member in an intra-party kind of election system to make a replacement.
This would also provide for the entry of women and marginalised people in parliament and councils through the ‘mixed member’ electoral system.
And the NDF confirmed that the National Assembly shall only dissolve at the date of the general election to allow Members of Parliament complete their full 5 year term.
“You see, this is another big milestone in our system where our women, youths and the marginalised will now see themselves in the governance system of the nation,” explained the Mporokoso lawmaker adding that “once our people begin to understand the products of the NDF, they will also understand the benefits which are enormous.”
The 1955 Public Order Act was also another topical issue at the NDF which had never been amended for a very long time.
He said the forum reaffirmed the people’s right to freedom of conscience by removing Section 9 clause 1 of the Public Order Bill which penalised people for refusing to sing the National Anthem meaning that now, it will not be mandatory for any group except at public functions while the period of hearing of a Presidential has been revised to 30 days from the controversial 14.
Hon Mundubile also clarified on the political party amendment bill which was left out saying consensus was reached that the amendment to Article 60 of the Constitution would adequately taken care of its provisions.
He appealed to the people of Zambia to ensure they understand the amendments to their Constitution to avoid falling prey to distortion and propaganda by some people.
Hon Mundubile also clarified on the political party amendment bill which was left out saying consensus was reached that the amendment to Article 60 of the Constitution would adequately taken care of its provisions.
He appealed to the people of Zambia to ensure they understand the amendments to their Constitution to avoid falling prey to distortion and propaganda by some people.
Our great nation is bigger than any political party. We need to move on the path of national consensus. Forget about detractors whose job is just to spoil everything. Destructors have already promised that they will destroy everything once the bills go to parliament. The national dialogue was necessary because some bitter individuals think that they can slow down everything so that their presence is felt. We cannot build a nation on bitterness.
This is complete nonsense by Lungu and his brainless selfish supporters.
I can not wait for the day when these corrupt thieves will be caged.
Yes Zambians can dialogue when it is by and large a Monologue as was the case during the NDF
On the contrary. The NDF has showed how hopeless we are as a nation. The dialogue was meant for the PF and the UPND to a round table discussion to discuss among other things the 2016 elections which were marred by election irregularities such as police brutality and murder of opposition supporters, foreigners being found in ECZ server rooms, destruction of voters ballot papers, ECZ tallying of results, deaths of election officials, Lungus abrogation of the constitution by refusing to step down when the petition was lodged etc… The NDF was just a PF project not a national one.
Dialogue was supposed to be between HH & Edgar, and could have costed less than FREE.
Those sadist Lusaka residents in picture had no differences between themselves, so dialogue was for? People continue to ask.
Enough with Politics lets get down to work now…too much blah blah blah not good for the Country
But what would be wrong with dialogue involving foreigners? It is still dialogue. This all goes to show Zambians just have nothing to boast about. They are desperate for success and every little fart is a victory.
The other day they were trying to cling to a South African woman’s climbing mount Everest. Yaba!
This was truly a missed opportunity to show that we Zambians can dialogue and resolve problems on its own. Zambia had expected the scrapping of the public order act completely, the oppressive colonial tool which PF Govt. is using deny Zambians the rights to freedom of assemby but instead you go there, waste time and money, announce cosmetic changes about the national anthem. What a shame
What a waste of 16 days on useless greedy loafers who are now enjoying their pay like Tayali next week they will be looking for ways to eat some more!!
National Receipt Forum has only proved one thing that crooks can dialogue with fellow crooks under compulsion and threats.
Correction: National Deceit Forum
More likely than not, PF cadres can have monologue without foreigner mediation in the pursuit of criminal dominance.
Ilo lwanya!
PF deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri has warned ministers.
Given Lubinda, Chitalu Chilufya Nkandu Luo, Jean Kapata and other ministers working inside PF to undermine president Edgar Lungu ahead of elections in 2021. A good number of ministers are working with Kelvin Fube Bwalya or have their own structures that they will make public just before elections in 2021. Given Lubinda for example is now quoting Eastern province minister Makebi Zulu or former UPND spokesperson Patrick Chisanga to be his running mate while Jean Kapata will be national chairperson.
Cleverly, Lubinda and others are in the process of changing the constitution so that ministers can remain in office until the next president is sworn in. Lungu thinks this is for his benefit. It’s not. It’s to make sure…
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It’s to make sure that people like Lubinda continue undermining him while making money until the last minute. This can also make ministers observe the political wind before either staying in sinking boat or jumping out.
Just look at the way Lubinda put his own people at the just ended but discredited National Dialogue Forum; he brought his old colleagues from UPND days. He engaged Sakwiba Sikota and Highvie Hamududu to do the dirty work of compromising NGOs. Sakwiba then brought in his relative Muyunda Mwanalushi to chair the NDF. Then Lubinda and Sakwiba brought in their partner and workmate when they were in UPND Patrick Chisanga to be the Secretary of the NDF. And president Lungu and those who advise him still think the resolutions of the NDF are in their interest! No,…
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No, those resolutions are in the interest of Lubinda and his colleagues. Most of them like bringing back deputy ministers are meant to show Lungu as a careless person who does not even know what he is doing but obsessed with given jobs to his friends.
What someone needs to ask themselves is, was it a coincidence that former UPND MPs Sakwiba Sikota, Given Lubinda, Highvie Hamududu and former UPND spokesperson Patrick Chisanga were in charge of the NDF. The Watchdog knows better. These guys have their own agenda and we have already said it. In fact
PF MONOLOGUE were party cadres debated non issues like the religious close,re-introduction of deputy ministers,extension of MP’s duration in office ,singing of the national anthem etc
WHAT A WASTE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES
#1.4 Nostradamus, dialogue with HH? Please remind me, who is that? Oh you mean Trib.al Hacks?
Oh forgot that as trib.al upnd you are trying desperately to elevate the status of your trib.al god? Sorry that is not possible. And Trib.al Hacks shall never be a “His Excellency”, unless you can cleanse him of the trib.al stench from 2006. You trib.als never learn, do you?
It’s funny to think that this so called dialogue was purely in response and aimed at culling the growing influence of HH and upnd. All the issues discussed at that illegal forum are meant to find a resolution on how the ruling party can continue to have an advantage over opposition and any outside forces. I am very disappointed in given lubinda. It seems when intelligent people mix with rotten peanuts they are bound to getrotten too
Here is your problem – the country is broke and everything is falling apart. How can you ask someone to lend you millions, without them having a say in your affairs? The so-called dialogue was a fools’ errand which achieved nothing, other than earn the participants valuable cash. There’s need for ushering in a new Republic with a complete change in the governance structure,, meaning a completely new approach to the Constitution. Ut’s time we became serious with the development of our country and empowering of its citizens. Clearly we haven’t got capacity in the current government to bring about the change we desperately need.
Yes, block my comments, but the day will soon come when you’ll appreciate logic in what I say.
Monologue and dialogue are two literary devices that involve speech. Monologue refers to a speech delivered by a character in order to express his thoughts and feelings to other characters or the audience. Dialogue refers to a conversation between two or more characters in a work of literature. The main difference between monologue and dialogue is that monologue is a speech by one person whereas dialogue is a conversation between two or more people.
Ndf was the PF talking to it self.
It’s so sad the called this national dialogue forum because all they went to do is change the constitution to favour themselves maybe the should have called it constitution review , if they went their to reduce the presidential powers it would have been a glorious day for Zambia but alas they went to debate non issues that add little or no value to ordinary Zambian lives I would like to ask what has the national dialogue achieved is their meeting going to help eliminate political violence , election disputes , is everyone on the same page now and how do you have dialogue without the your biggest rival currently there is still no dialogue am sure in the background PF where forced to have a national dialogue by some international organisation but instead of a national dialogue as the…
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instead of a national dialogue as the name suggests they had a constitutional review its no wonder why so many players wanted to pull out of this constitution review
This Mundubile is a PF loyalist and an ECL personal agent.His role at the NDF was to ensure the adoption of PF predetermined proposals to ensure PF victory in 2021.PF is dead scared of dwindling popularity.Prospects of losing in 2021 and inevitable prosecution for various crimes committed against Zambians gives PF bigwigs nightmares. The NDF has not achieved anything worthwhile for Zambia but made self-serving,contradictory totally useless constitutional and legislative proposals which if inacted into law will cause political chaos, further polarise the Zambian people,escalate political strife and cause civil war.
Coalition based on individuals’ votes is quite dodgy. Perhaps a start to dialogue but hardly that! It is a monologue to protect someone headed for certain defeat even in a re-run. Let’s be a bit more prudent with the word dialogue here. Soon the people will force you into a real dialogue.
Lungu has tried hard to guarantee his stay in office with this NDF …..
first by endorcing forming a coalition GRZ , second by adopting deputy ministers , third by reducing the campain period from 90 days to 60 days for the opposition while his ministers and deputy ministers will campain for him upuntill election day using GRZ resources with new resolution of ministers working up untill election day….
Lungu has doubled his campain team with ministers and their deputies up to election day using GRZ resources while reducing opposition campain time from 90 to 60 days.
If that does not give him a majority , he has the option of a coalition GRZ….
I hope people have written down the names of these NDF members …don’t be surprised when they are rewarded with Deputy Minister roles.
Independent Broadcasting Authority wants to put a blanket on private radio and TV stations the hide the disbursement of the loan in the following manner
$11.1 million here is possible budget breakdown
(a)76.31% that is about $847..041 million will finance PF budget
1.Paying defection
2.Paying for bye-election
3.Medical tourism and clergymen
4.Foreign trips as the first 52 trips yield no investments
5.Paying marketeers,cadres and Ester foundation
(b)12.48% that is about $138.528 millions will go Salaries
1.Paying salaries arrears for about 16 institutions
2.Paying salaries and wages for deputy ministers
3.Bribing Defence force except Police (as they are just donkeys with limited education)
4.Publicity and campaigning cost for 2021 election.
5.Paying PF functions including a…
5.Paying PF functions including a fake national convention
(c)11.21% that is about $124.431 million for Road construction.
1.Paying road construction arrears in urban areas only
2.Toll gate construction
3.Social cash transfer
4.Re-work on the robots which are not working
5.Construction of feed roads leading Chiefs’ palaces in Northern,Luapula,Muchinga,Eastern and part of Central Province around Mkushi and Serenje
Please correct me where necessary
How NDC was treated yesterday in E/Province confirms that the NDF just wasted time and money especially on the public order act. Zambians should expect more police brutality towards 2021. The POA favours the pf to frustrate and oppress the opposition. No one was at pain with the National anthem issues. Opposition should not work it solitariness otherwise pf will continuie blocking your meetings untill 2021. Attract huge crowds that can scare away the police.
Anyone who thinks so is plain stu**d. Like others have said the dialogue was only peaceful because it was a monologue.
If you think the PF can tolerate divergent views then let’s wait for elections.
What elections? You mean erections of thieves
Only UPND sycophants and zealots and enemies of progress will condemn the NDF because their Supreme leader HH of the UPND who has hidden the privatisation loot in the paradise papers and a sadist does not support the dialogue…How dull can these UPND sycophants and zealots can be just because they worship HH due to group think mentality…
So “dialogue” has a new meaning now. A PF propaganda gathering to examine how they could enhance their advantage even more is now being called ‘dialogue’. Why would you even do piecemeal changes to Public Order Act instead of getting rid of it altogether if you are serious with reforms? And keeping MPs in power until election day, what nonsense is this… how is that a level playing field?
Man the amount of mediocrity in this country has reached dangerous levels. Just some gathering to appease Lungu and his minions using large amounts of money (perhaps paid for by the international community). Ridiculous!
Am very convinced that PF has lost popularity with the intellectuals in Zambia it’s only with these people who have no proper education and no future prospects beyond their daily struggle to survive that PF still holds strong…..the opposition needs to find a way of winning this mostly emotional group that don’t understand economics or what a good campaign manifesto is
The recent NDF was of PF and bootlickers, for PF and by PF. You can’t have dialogue with yourself.
Margaret thatcher was once told by her father not to follow the crowd but make up her own mind. Lets not be blind followers of people after their own selfish ambitions as we are all aware to the things common and affecting us all and we are convinced in our hearts and minds to what is best not only for us today but future generations too. This is not man utd or barcelona it about real things that matter to all and therefore give great consideration and thought to our ways and consequences of our actions. We have lived peacefully together as a nation for many years so why should we torrerate anything now that brings division. Zambia is suffering right now not because of the party in power only but because we the people have chosen to be divided on political affiliation as well as to stay…
Continuation; silent where we see injustice. Those that support the opposition advise your leaders to be good citizens and those in support of the party in power advise your leaders to govern well because one day they too will be governed by those they are governing today therefore must be role models in exemplary governing.