The Non-governmental Gender Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has urged the new dawn government to take advantage of the offer by the cooperating partners to fund the referendum on the expanded bill of rights.
NGOCC board chairperson Mary Mulenga said that Zambia can only address the issue of human rights through an enhanced bill of rights.
Speaking at the NGOCC end-of-year media breakfast in Lusaka yesterday, Ms. Mulenga said that the new dawn government should take advantage of the goodwill from the international cooperating partners to fund the process of holding a referendum on the bill of rights.
Ms. Mulenga appealed to the government to facilitate for a National Referendum for the inclusion of the expanded Bill of Rights in the new constitution that will guarantee social-economic rights of citizens, adding that government should pursue constitutional reforms to ensure that it addresses the gaps in the amended constitution of 2016.
Ms. Mulenga noted that Zambia missed an opportunity to enact a constitution that would represent the fundamental principles and wishes of the majority of Zambians and Zambians are now hopeful that the new dawn administration will facilitate a process that will ensure that the country has a constitution that stands the test of time.
And Ms. Mulenga says the women’s movement is disappointed with the appointments done so far by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Ms. Mulenga has lamented the low number of women being appointed to positions of decision-making and has wondered why Zambia ratified some international treaties with regards to gender equality but failed to honor them.
Ms. Mulenga has called on the government to expedite the process of repealing the NGO act of 2016 to bring about a self-regulatory mechanism for NGOS and enhance civil society operating space.
Meanwhile, NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale has welcomed the appointment of the permanent secretary for the gender division.
Ms. Mwale has since called on the gender division to ensure there is effective gender mainstreaming within the public sector.
I’m getting tired of demands from various groups.
Endless constitutional reforms.
We’re fatigued by the senseless and endless constitutional amendment programs. Maybe let’s outlaw the Constitution because we’ve failed to write a sensible law. It’s a joke that a President can even swear to uphold such a defective and useless constitution as ours. We are out of our minds because we don’t mean what we say. Please tell those sponsors that we’re not interested
No, I disagree vehemently. The Constitution needs to be removed and replaced. No tinkering. Our current Constitution isn’t fit for purpose. Let’s do it right and dream big.
No more tinkering! We want revolutionary change. Remove and replace. The failures of our Constitution have led to the abuses and lawlessness we’ve seen under various regimes since independence. It’s time look at the proposed Constitution out there. Reshape governance systems, judiciary, Police, Parliament and provincial administration, including chiefs. All in. Not tinkering.
The government change of government is good if it helps people to live better lives and protected from the evils of this world, the IMF is one of them, the greedy politicians who take advantage of the poor people to steal their livelihood, evil politicians who intimidate the comfort of the population eg taking away people’s freedom of expression.
All these evils must be guarded away from politicians, price increases is another painful evil felt by every poor zambian.
Women enjoy being insulted most of the time.
Why not focus on opening WOMEN only pubs? Fvck the constitution… “Bill of Rights”, what RIGHTS is Mutinta HH missing? She has rights, even the right to decide to live in her own New Kasama house and not State House. She only missing a venue to meet REAL women like Ms. Mary Mulenga and Ms Mwale, so open some nice females wine clubs.
Those f00ls in upnd shunned bill 10, you must be a naive old woman to think they will change a single thing. They are now enjoying POA and defamation laws.