Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula says a bill to protect and guide the remaining phases of the constitution making process is being prepared and will be table in next sitting of Parliament which resumes later this month.
Dr. Simbyakula told QFM News in an interview that government through his ministry is carefully handling the process of the constitution bill to protect and guide the remaining phases of the enactment of a new constitution.
He said government is in agreement that non-contentious clauses such as the presidential running mate clause contained in the draft constitution can be amended through Parliament.
Dr Simbyakula said the constitution making process is not a preserve of government but all stakeholders.Dr Simbyakula said government wants to deliver a people driven constitution to the Zambian people.
He has since appealed to stakeholders to support government’s phased approach in the enactment of the new constitution.
This is not a protection but a rape of the Constitution-making process.
**** is r_a_p_e. The censor at LT works overtime!
The willingness of Government to finalize the Constitution making exercise is encouraging. The dividing line remains between piecemeal and one complete Draft Constitution. The duty of the commissioners was to prepare a Draft Constitution. The draft definitely contained certain questiobale assumptions regarding Religion, Multilingualism, 50%+1 Vote, Running Mate, Death Penalty, Multiple Citizenship, etc. The answers to these questions belong to members of the public working in collaboration with commissioners. Legislators can only participate in individual capacity. Legislature must spend all available resources on straight forward development projects, including National Airline, Electronic Assembly Plant, Motor Assembly Plant, Freedom of Information, Taxation, Public Order Law, etc.
Good news! The integrity of the draft which has been arrived at after so much work and the process for enacting it into law needs to be protected as a 1st step. I’m praying that we can finally get this Constitution this year which has been so elusive for a long time.
God Bless Zambia