Friday, March 29, 2024

Chief Whip calls for submissions for Bill 10

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PF Chairperson for legal affairs Brian Mundubile
PF Chairperson for legal affairs Brian Mundubile

Parliamentary Chief Whip Brian Mundubile has called on citizens to start making their submissions on the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill Number 10, to the Select Committee.

This follows the guidance by Speaker Patrick Matibini after the Law Association of Zambia requested him to halt the legislative process in the wake of a pending matter in the Constitutional Court.

Mr. Mundubile says the Speaker’s guidance should bring people together to dialogue further on possible constitutional amendments through the Parliamentary Select committee.

Mr. Mundubile was speaking to journalists in Lusaka today.

And Mr. Mundubile disclosed that the differences between those supporting the resolutions of the National Dialogue Forum -NDF- and those opposed to it are becoming fewer by the day.

He said some of the earlier differences were on account of misinterpretation of the role and power of Parliament in the legislative process.

12 COMMENTS

  1. 1972 we were on this path
    1990-91 on this road with Mvunga commission
    1996 on this road with Mwanakatwe commission
    200?.. with Mungomba
    201?.. with PF
    2019..with PF
    I hope I have not left out any other attempts Constitutional change. It seems this is not the last. I am sure things like 50+1 and running mate have put food on our tables

    • Matibini + PF cadres like Mundubile should shelf the whole process and start afresh. The process needed a neutral referee(church mother bodies or commonwealth/credible body), but as things are stand right now PF is the final and ultimate decider of the outcome whatever input from others. What or who will stop PF from inserting what they want in the final document. They will then announce that this is what people recommended and it be too late to say no. This has been a sham of the process from the start, all meant to benefit some selfish individuals.

    • The Amendment Bill’s legality and Constitutionlaity has been Petitioned at Concourt by LAZ and Churches, Opposition Parties, Foreign Legal Associations etc have questioned the Bill. What happens if most People decline to make Submissions to the Select Committee on what they consider to be a sham process? Those People who make Submissions will not be considered to be in Contempt of Concourt? LAZ will obviously handover a copy of their Petition to Concourt to the Select Committee as their Submission? What if Members of the Select Committee refuse to participate in the Process on the basis that the Bill has been Petitioned in Court and they don’t want to be sued for Contempt of Court? The Speaker of Parliament has chosen a path of confrontation with the Courts. Matibini is contradictory…

    • How I wish LAZ, Political Parties, Churches, NGOs, Individuals etc could send to the Parliament Select Committee Copies of LAZ’ s Petition to Concourt and point out to the Committee that they cannot comment further on Bill No.10 becoz it is Subjudice. Then leave it there.

    • How can a PF Whip ask for Submissions? Surely the Clerk of Parliament should make the Request in need. Let Parliament publicly request for Submissions on Bill No.10 so the Speaker confirms that he is in Contempt of Concourt.

  2. The platform is waiting for those opposed to some issues in the subject matter for them to state their side of the story on how they want it to be laid. The LAZ is not only those holding positions. Yes they may speak for the rest but can still hold a wrong view and the reason why some Lawyers attended the come-together and are part of the outcome in the name of democracy and not dictatorship. This exercise is not for Parties, churches or individual but National. Our grand children must come to praise us of having come up with a good constitution which shall require no changes and if any, very few.

    • The MSG method of Constitutional making was not inclusive but led by PF. Bill 10 is the Brain Child of PF designed to rig the 2021 Election in favour of ECL and PF. Whether or not submissions are made to the Select Committee the Process remains flawed, illegal and unconstitutional. Matibini is in contempt of Concourt and should be sued for breaching the Zambian Constitution. LAZ, CSO, Churches etc should press on and block the Bill and shame the Speaker of Parliament.

  3. It is a a waste of time.PF have already undermined this process with corruption .Trouble is that Zambians are not telling PF that they are fed up with corruption and hunger.PF will just continue deceiving and squeezing them.And I think Zambians of this generation deserve the PF.They are naively docile and deserve to suffer.

  4. This process is futile when the legality and Constitutionality is being Petitioned in Concourt. The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land and as such the Presidency, Parliament and the Judiciary must defend and uphold the Supremacy of the Constitution. Anybody who participates in the Current Stage of Processing the Bill in Parliament will be in contempt of Concourt. People should just shun commenting on the Bill until Concourt makes a Ruling on the LAZ Petition. Let PF alone make those submissions. All MPs opposed to the Bill should just boycott this Bill Process.

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