Former republican Vice President, Enoch Kavindele, has proposed a one-off seven-year non-renewable presidential term of office for a Head of State in Zambia.
Submitting to the Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendment in Lusaka today, Mr Kavindele said the seven-year term of office should be non-renewable.
He said such a term will accelerate delivery of development to the people and will give a President the urgency to work promptly because of the limited timeframe.
The former Vice President observed that two five-year terms, which translate into a decade, may cause laxity on the part of a President.
“In that way, the President is fully aware that he has to perform in those seven years. Of course he can perform in the current two term system but if he knows that it is a seven year term which is final, you will see a lot of change and a lot of better things,” Mr Kavindele said.
Mr Kavindele has further proposed that Cabinet Ministers should be appointed outside the National Assembly.
He contended that picking ministers from within parliament alone limits the Head of State from appointing others to head ministerial portfolios who may even be more qualified than parliamentarians.
Mr Kavindele said allowing the President through the constitution to pick ministers from outside parliament will give the Head of State a wide pool of people to choose from as opposed to just limiting it to Members of Parliament.
“Members of Parliament cannot debate themselves, standing orders state that they cannot debate themselves. I would like to think this country can develop faster and better if the President had access to all the people of Zambia for him to appoint those that he can work with,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Transport and Communication Minister, William Harrington, submitted to the Technical Committee that the constitution should stop parliamentarians from serving for more than two terms.
Mr Harrington argued that if the highest office in the land, which is that of republican President, is limited to two terms, he does not see why the number of parliamentarian’s terms should be indefinite.
“This is just to give an opportunity to other citizens, especially the youth who may be aspiring for leadership at parliamentary level. We talk about the youths being leaders of tomorrow but it is a fallacy because tomorrow never comes. The youth must be leaders of today. If there is someone using their influence to party officials at constituency level, then what chance will the youths have to aspire for leadership,” he argued.
whatever. The law of Zambia says 2 terms. All this BS of limiting the tenure of the current president is BS. How come he never submitted his ideas when such useless and larcenous presidents as Frederick Chipuba, Michael Satan and Jonathan Mutawire were in power???
Please analyze this carefully – if it were to apply, you cannot apply a law retrospectively, all in all HH’s next term would be 7 years. Jonathan Mutaware (Lol) this always cracks me up. Cheers mate.
This can easily led to dictatorship
This can easily lead to dictatorship
This can easy lead to dictatorship
Only one of his proposal i’d agree with. In a true check and balance system MPs should never be part of the executive arm bcuz their job is to supervise and check/counter balance the president and his cabinet.
Even Kenya and USA got their governance systems right…cabinet members have not time or place to be politicking /electioneering especially in a poor country like Zambia.
Kikikikiki ati the Richest man in Zambia….thats how they used to lie to us back in the days….kanshi it was all Zambian Government money and corrupt businesses….now the so called Richest man in Zambia has become a chola boy praise singer….Lumbani madoda
Past the age of logical thinking also his party brought us to its knees
If you cant show significant improvement in 4 years it’s bye bye
After 60 years still lamenting on a term ???
All we need is the leadership with good-will; 5 years is just fine. Look at America with a 4-year term. See what President Trump has accomplished in less than 9 months, It is phenomenal. I believe President HH could have done mush better had it not been for the corruption and the mess that the PF and MMD, left behind! God bless Zambia!
No……….
2 year terms is good enough……..
Imagine being stuck with the late lungu and his violent thugs for 7 years ????………
FED2041
2……5 year terms
@Spaka…Nice one!
Even worse imagine being stuck with HH for another 5 years
Dictatorship?
Is Lusaka times also compromised?
Depends which way the wind blows
HH has no problem, it is those people who want HH to think like them who have a problem. Remember that each human being is free, but within the law, is welcome indeed, so is HH..
We are different and think differently and have different priorities
HH is entitled to lead this country the way he deems fit
thinking he is a distaster is not a crime but an opinion and by the same token applies to his supporters
2026 we will know