GOVERNMENT is determined to ensure that Zambians get the constitution they deserve in the shortest possible time, Justice Minister Edgar Lungu has said.
Mr Lungu said his Ministry was working round the clock to ensure that it put all the logistics in place and get Government approval to release the document.
Mr Lungu was speaking in Livingstone at Chrismar Hotel yesterday when he officially opened the five-day 2014 Legal and Business Conference hosted by the Ministry of Justice under the theme ‘Enhancing Networking among Lawyers and Other Professionals’.
The main objectives of the Conference is to create a platform for networking and general knowledge sharing as well as to sensitise members of other professions on the work conducted by State Advocates and other lawyers.
“Allow me to take advantage of this gathering to announce that Government is determined to ensure that Zambians get the constitution they deserve in the shortest possible time.
If it was possible, we would have done it for you to have the constitution as you celebrate the Golden Jubilee on October 24, 2014.
Alas, the process is full of complexities such that it won’t be possible to give you the constitution on October 24 but suffice to say that the constitution is coming,” Mr Lungu said.
He said the Government had already met other stakeholders and consulted those who had not voiced their views to promote harmony and peace in the country.
Mr Lungu said the whole constitution making process should be owned by the people of Zambia inclusive of the proposed articles.
“We want stakeholders to start talking about the contents immediately we release the draft constitution.
In my discussions with my colleagues, I have noted that very few people have paid attention to serious issues in the draft constitution especially on governance issues in Zambia,” Mr Lungu said.
He also wondered how many Zambians knew the cost of the current governance especially in view of a proposal in the draft constitution to have regional assemblies in 10 provincial headquarters.
“We have a proposal to have regional assemblies in the 10 provincial headquarters and my immediate reaction to that do we know the cost of current governance in Zambia?
My answer is that it will be more expensive to operate regional assemblies. Since we don’t know whether the economy will be buoyant enough to sustain this governance system, we may go bankrupt as a country and those are my personal views,” Mr Lungu said.
He said he had not talked to the Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini or the Clerk of the National Assembly Doris Mwinga on whether it would be very cheaper to operate Parliament in the format being proposed in the draft constitution.
Mr Lungu said the legal fraternity represented one big family whether one was in Government service or in the private sector.
He said there was a lot that Government lawyers could learn from their colleagues in the private sector and vice versa.
“Both lawyers in the public and private sector should have one purpose to serve and this is the administration of justice.
The issue of ‘them’ and ‘us’ should therefore not arise. We should work together as one big family comprising brothers and sisters,” Mr Lungu said.
He also expressed hope that the recent dispute between Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) was currently over.
Speaking at the same gathering, Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary responsible for Administration Josephs Akafumba urged the participants to take the proceedings of the conference seriously as a fertile ground for knowledge.
Mr Akafumba said his Ministry had, since 2005, been working on promoting networking ad team building among State Advocates or lawyers from both the private sector and public sector through the annual State Advocate Workshop.
High Court Judge William Mweemba also presented on dispute resolution as a tool to resolving disputes in Zambia.
As soon as possible? How about within 90 days?
Mr Lungu, we are tired of lip service. We need a clear road map on when you will release the constitution.
The big question regarding the constitution is , will the constitution be delivered in the exact form as drafted by the technical committee or not?
If you are going to release an animal driven constitution as wanted and demanded by Sata, then genuine Zambian are not interested.
Mr Lungu want people want to hear that the constitution will be delivered as drafted by the technical committee, no alterations and deletions without consulting the wider public.
How soon will the constitution be ready? 90days x 360 = 32400days = never ?
Ba LT you left out the fact that PF fought each other and Livingstone MP ; Lawrence wept uncontrollably and even threatened to resign on the fringes of the event.
Lungu ulabeja.
Why are you trying to cheat us. You are the most useless SG and very docile with your senile Sata.
I am sick of you guys !!
Lip service a Lungu to buy time. The draft document can be released today to the public. After all we all have it already.
This has been this governments modus operandus, talk, talk and more talk with little action. What exactly is the Ministry of Justice working round the clock on? What was the difficulty with releasing the draft constitution to both government and the public simultaneously? The 90 days were exhausted ages ago and if nothing comes of this, just as this single issue brought the PF into power, it potentially is the single issue that will bring down the PF. This strategy of giving positive statements without action just to buy PF time will come back to bite PF.
@Mfumu
You are absolutely right. PF talks and promises at the speed of light but delivers at a snail’s speed or never.
‘Government is determined’ , ‘Government is Committed to’, this is learned by every first time Government spokes person appointed in any position of authority. Nothing serious in such pronouncements.
I think we have to consider the cost incurred by parliament and district assemblies. Decentralised power is a must in a democracy, so if it will be very costly, then the numbers of MPs can be reduced because part of their work will be done by provincial assemblies. Say, instead of a province sending ten or more MPs, six to ten can be adequate. Parliament can do with 90 to 120 members.
Alternatively, MPs and Councillors salaries and allowances can be freezed so that come the time when the provincial assemblies will commence, the members will be getting reasonable salaries and allowances. Their current salaries are just too high for “people serving people.”
This could be a vote loser if not sorted in time. It’s asking too much that people pretend it has been a bit of a Red Herring from the start.
Mr Lungu is the very opposite of Mr Kabimba who used to mock anyone who asked about the new constitution..