The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has observed that the extent of protests by opposition Members of Parliament over the new constitution should compel President Michael Sata to listen to the pleas of the Zambian people.
FODEP Executive Director Macdonald Chipenzi said demands for a new constitution by opposition MPs right inside Parliament is a protest of frustration by the people’s representatives.
Mr. Chipenzi said it will not help the Executive to keep quiet or ignore such demonstrations.He told Qfm News in an interview that the appeal of his organization for the government to respond to the concerns that are being raised on the constitution.
Mr Chipenzi said it will be naive for Cabinet to overlook its responsibility to be held accountable by the legislature on the issue of coming with a new constitution.
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When you have people asking for something and you keep quiet or ignore them, then you are forcing them to behave in a certain manner
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Meanwhile the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council has backed the actions of opposition Members of Parliament in Parliament in pressing for the release of the draft constitution.
NGOCC Board Chairperson Beatrice Grillo observed that the actions of the opposition MPs are as a result of government being quiet on the issue hence their actions are justified.
She said her organisation will use every legal means possible to ensure that the constitution is released.
Mrs Grillo said lack of dialogue on such a serious national issue will always force people to act and behave in a certain manner as can be seen from the actions of the opposition MPs who have continued to disrupt parliamentary proceedings in parliament.
“As NGOCC we do not condone unruly behavior in any form but I think we need to look at why people are behaving like that, its because there is no process for dialogue. When you have people asking for something and you keep quiet or ignore them, then you are forcing them to behave in a certain manner,” said Mrs Grillo.
Meanwhile, Mrs Grillo has advised the government to stop blaming others on the constitution making process saying pointing fingers will not help anyone.
She called on government to embrass dialogue as the issue of the constitution making process is a delicate national issue which needs to be handled with care, tolerance and respect and does not require for anyone to start passing blame from one place to another.
“This is a national issue and passing blame from one place to another will not help, all the government needs to do is to announce the day they are going to give the President and all of us the final draft constitution so that we look at it and agree on the way forward”. She said”.
Ms Grillo added that there is nothing that will stop the public from demanding for constitution as they feel strongly about it and that the only way forward is to dialogue without pointing fingers at anyone.
The NGOCC Board Chairperson further reiterated her organisation’s resolve to push for the release of the constitution using every possible legal means.
“For us as NGOCC we want to reiterate that we will use every possible means to demand and ensure that we get the constitution” She said.
Mrs Grillo’s remarks follows Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba’s latest comments were he has blamed Opposition MPs for the delay in the release of the draft constitution.
Well said Ms Grillo, let’s be grilling them until they do unto us what is right!
We voted for PF and their decisions.
I have a suggestion to help us get to the bottom of this impasse. Let the TC , kabimba and Guy Scott call a press conference to answer questions as to what is delaying the constitution process?Where is the draft constitution? If it was handed over, to who and when? When is the a clear road map going to be issued? Kabimba and Guy Scott should give clear deadlines for enacting the constitution not estimates.This I believe is the only way forward.
On the list of demands by the opposition, can they also ask for such a press conference to take place as a precondition to start normalising things.
Zambia ‘s hope is on you UPND and MMD MPs.
How can Chumbu Mushololwa listen, kaya mushololwa doesnt care about people who put him in plot one.
Now we expect serious PF MP’s to join the protest…….Remember how FTJ was defeated by his own friends & Minister to abandon the Third Term Issue where Sata was supporting until Ka Chiluba dribbled him by chosing Levy for Presidency………Work up PF members history will judge you hushly.
Opposition MP’s do not worry about the allowances Matibini is talking about because your final reward will be more that the seating allowance they are trying to force to receive.
Let’s be having you!
Hahaha! ‘Compel Sata to listen?’ Are you mad? Do you know the kind of moron you’re talking about??? Listen??? Can’t never my friends! As long as he is not affected personally and can hide mu statehouse, he does not care. All he knows is that somehow fikaisova. He’s like ‘twalaba bamona ba fikamba aba. They think they can force me, H.E. Michael Chilufya Sata, president of the Republic of Zambia where the Kwacha is at K6. to a dollar, to do things I do not want to do? Mwachepa sana. Plus iwe HH, people want to know who your father is. We are still waiting!’ Thats the kind of d!ck in statehouse.
They don’t call him chumbu mushololwa for nothing. Listening, my foot! Anyway, this the evidence Father Bwalya will adduce in court to prove his point.
Total rubbish, it does not work like that. Why forcing the government work or dance to your tune imwe ba selfish chaps?
Chumbu munshololwa is really bent he can’t be sraightened
Well said all of you guys! We don’t deserve a president who is full of himself.Satan is a just a piece of sheet
A lot of things have gone amiss before and the President never responded. What we know is that he is a President who cant address any issue seriously. Look at when people within his party were murdering each other. Did he do anything? Nothing! What we have for a President is a grossly incompetent individual. The best we can hope for is a Facebook post by George Chellah and Fred Mmembe. Sometimes it makes me think that even a log of wood can rule Zambia as long as its cut from some forest in Bembaland.
From where i’m sitting, i can feel the tension in the corridors of power!! It is stalemate Bakamba! These MPs are like holding someone’s ”balls” for lack of a better term. Now, let us see if that arrogance on animal driven ideas will stand the test of time…!!! Suddenly the legislature has discovered a formula to check the executive. This is indeed unprecedented…!! MPs ”hold the same tight enough” to get desired results which is official release of draft constitution, plus legislated roadmap within 90 days (which should include referendum)!! Tiye nayo 4th Republic..!! Tiye! Tiye!!
The first step toward sin is listening to sata ‘s lies,and that often is followed by doing what sata tells us he is developing the country,are we happy?
We just talking,these people have no idea on what to do about the economy.2016 is miles away.
Chumbu Mushololwa to be compelled ? Even FTJ’s third term cry, Chumbu the Cobra could not be straightened. Now, him on top soup you reckon he can be compelled ?
Only impeachment proceedings can do, for now its tag and war.
Typical dictator and its written everywhere for all to see.
If this poor excuse for a head of state cannot understand he is employed BY THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA, and he has been directed by them to produce the draft CONSTITUTION, he deserves to be booted out with immediate effect.
CONSTITUTION or IMPEACHMENT. NOW!
We are tired of LIES, FRAUD and DECEPTION.
Listen to what. The Consitution will come out but not with costly and tribal and regionalism catalyst the 50+1. Zambia has alot of pressing issues to be attanded instead of wasting our Meagre Resources on election re-runs which we can avoid.
We need roads,schools hospitals and other important issues not election re-runs due to 50+1.
Compelling government to succumb to pressure in participatory democracy is dictatorial. It is an aberration and distortion of democratic processes. The listening government also needs to be heard. Concerns of government will exist whether opposition accepts that or not. The bottom line is that usurpation of power from a legitimately elected popular government is a political crime. It will inevitably lead to a cycle of usurpation and instability.
How old are you young man? You sound so childish! Parliament’s role is to make laws; Whats wrong if parliament prioritizes the making of the SUPREME LAW of the land? Escpecially if the sitting President (Head of Executive) made that promise several times within and without parliament?
It was not when we were fighting for independence, now it is because we are suddenly conservatives!
Is this the same Mcdonald Chipenzi who is a card carrying UPND member masquerading as a member of the civil society? LT please verify, but word has it that he was fired from The Post for attempting to hide the publication of the story where some prominent UPND personalities openly campaigned that only a Tonga could lead the UPND. This was during the UPND convention in 2006 where Hakainde defeated Sakwiba Sikota for the UPND presidency. Ngande Mwanajiti and Ackson Sejani are some of the prominent UPND members on record as saying only a Tonga could lead UPND
MP are demonstrating on something which is in the hands of executive.This is how naive these so called our representatives have become.The speaker has not received the document but you are demonstrating out of ignorance.MPS should not disturb programmes of the house that does not know anything about the document which has not come to its house.