Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Caritas Zambia stands with Bishops in calling for withdrawal of Bill No.10

Share

Caritas Zambia has supported the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) in their call for withdrawal of the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 which seeks to amend Zambia’s 2016 Constitution.

This is according to a statement signed by Caritas Zambia Executive Director Eugene Kabilika.

He made the remarks on behalf of all Caritas Zambia Diocesan Directors.

Key principles of Catholic Social Teaching

“We agree with the Bishops on the need for inclusive consultations on matters concerning the amendment of Zambia’s 2016 Constitution. When Bishops analyse political events, they do so in the light of the Word of God and the Social Teaching of the Church. Bill No. 10 falls short of promoting some of the key principles of the Social Teaching of the Church,” said Kabilika.

He added, “While the constitution-making process is a common good for Zambians, the government refused to amend the National Dialogue Forum Bill (NDF), which would have set the tone for national unity and healing.”

The Bill has lapsed and should not be insisted upon

Caritas Zambia Directors from the Dioceses say that, in any case, according to Parliamentary Standing Orders, Bill No. 10 lapsed on 4 June 2020 and it was wrong to insist on it.
Caritas Zambia has since repeated the call made by the Zambian Bishops on 9 June 2020 that Bill 10, should be withdrawn.

“We call upon the government to listen to the voice of reason. Amendments to the Constitution of Zambia should be based on the widest consultation and consensus-building,” Kabilika said..

Bill No.10 has polarised the nation

Recently, President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop George Cosmas Lungu said Constitution Amendment Bill No. 10 was polarising Zambians and should be withdrawn from parliament.

Explaining the Bishops’ objections, Secretary-General of the Bishops’ Conference, Fr. Cleophas Lungu, said the amendments were too radical.

He said the ruling party had hijacked the process for its own political ends.

“To begin with, in terms of the main objectives: When we were embarking on this journey, it was our understanding that the aim was to address the lacunas (gaps) in the amended Constitution of 2016. It was our view that the law needed some refinement. Alas, we see now that the Patriotic Front Government has gone beyond the original objective. Some wholesale changes are being proposed that will radically change the nature of the Constitution and even the nature of our young but maturing democracy,” said Fr. Cleophas Lungu.

13 COMMENTS

  1. CARITAS Zambia, This country is not an extension of the Vatican. Bill has not polarized the country as you claim. Just say that you want HH to win in 2021. Fortunately this will not happen

    5
    13
  2. Shu Shu Shu 

    How is dropping bill 10 going to make HH win ????

    So you are saying if bill 10 passes lungu will win ???, how ??

    9
    2
  3. If a national referendum on bill 10 is held before 2021 , it would be roundly rejected despite all the time and money PF have spent…….

    • Spaka, referendum is for the bill of rights. My opinion is that no matter how good or bad a bill may be or how much consensus a bill may have final say lies in the MPs who will debate and give their reasons for or against for all to see. Ultimately, a two thirds majority will make it into a law failure to that the bill is said to have failed and therefore thrown out if Parley. That is from a lay man’s view. I believe that is the reason MPs are paid. Not all bills will be friendly to the MPs and not only friendly bills shall be debated by the Parley. It appears PARLIAMENT IS NO LONGER THE SUPREME LAW MAKER. ALWAYS REMEMBER IN A DEMOCRACY MAJORITY WINS. THAT IS THE FOUNDATION DEMOCRACY AND PARLIAMENT.

  4. Caritas should be aware that there is no longer any need to withdraw Bill 10 becoz it doesn’t exist anymore as it lapsed on June 4, 2021. There are current attempts to exhume Bill 10 and restore it on the Parliamentary Order Paper. Its not clear what Powers the Speaker of Parliament has to resurrect a dead Bill and Restore it for debate and vote in Parliament. Time will tell.

    10
    1
  5. How can a person with five senses surely support something that is dead and it has no life? Bill 10 is dead. They way PF will be pronounced dead in 2021 because it has failed to pay retirees. Who is going to vote for PF for failing to pay retirees? You want my vote but you have failed to pay retirees where on earth? Tit for Tat. You are eating, driving, bathing, no power cut, you say you a vote me I have power cut 15 hrs 24/7, walk on foot whilst holding on to my pension, am not eating, am not bathing, Tell Lusambo to vote for you.

  6. Why do such institutions behave or work like this in Africa, particularly in Zambia? Go work in USA, Italy or better still in Russia and North Korea!!!!

  7. Beautiful.
    Lastly, P.F.KUYABEBELE!

  8. MPs will do their part, lobby your members of Parliament that debate in the house than those that abscond debate. Things will work for good to those who love development and are seeing things happening.

    1
    2
  9. I see PF loosing 2021 election if bill 10 in a way passes. Generally the country knows it as a bad piece of legislation. Less than 2 percent have read it let alone appreciate it
    I have asked 106 civil servants to date and surprised you can be that only two appeared to had read it a bit. The opposition has ceased that opportunity successfully.

  10. June 4 is behind , please focus on real issues like how fragile the so called new roads are. Make the shady contractors do the roadworks professionally please, not this nonsense about an invalid Bill 10.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading