OPPOSITION 4th Revolution (4R) president Eric Chanda has reacted sharply to assertions by the Grand Coalition on the campaign for a people-driven constitution that Government has duped the people over the bill, and has since branded them unrealistic, unfair and un-Zambian.”

And Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has commended members of Parliament for giving Zambians a people-driven constitution, saying that many progressive articles which people wanted have been included.

In a telephone interview yesterday, the emotionally charged Mr Chanda said it is now time the Grand Coalition gave Zambians a break on the constitution talk.

“Comrade, go and tell the so-called Grand Coalition or whatever you call them that Zambians are no longer interested in the constitution talk because this Government has lived up to its word. Let them talk about issues that will bring food on people’s tables,” Mr Chanda said.

He said the Grand Coalition is taking the country 360 degree backwards by talking about a matter that has been resolved.

Yesterday, the Grand Coalition claimed that the PF have failed to give Zambians a constitution of their choice
“President Lungu has given what they demanded. What more do they want? As 4R, we will not sit idly by and watch them bring petty issues. They are being unrealistic and unfair to Zambians whom they claim to speak for,” Mr Chanda said.

Mr Chanda said now that a new document with progressive clauses is in place, only awaiting presidential assent, it is time to start mending the economy.

“I heard them say they will continue to de-campaign the PF. Well, let them take me on instead. Huge sums of money were spent to come up with that document and now they want to trivialise it. As 4R, we will not allow it,” he said.

Parliament has passed the constitution bill which includes key clauses the 50 percent-plus-one vote threshold for one to be elected president; the vice-president being a running mate; enshrining the date of elections in the constitution; dual citizenship and barring an MP who crosses the floor from re-contesting the seat.

And National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo Jr says the new constitution contains elements that are good and its enactment is generally a step in the right direction.

Mr Chipimo noted that the constitution will reduce the power of the republican President, increase government accountability, stabilise Parliament by preventing frequent and costly by-elections, and offers improved protection and enforcement of civil and communal rights.

“The passing of the constitution amendment bill will be the first time in the history of Zambia that there will be a running mate, where in the event the president dies, the vice-president will automatically become president without the country holding elections,” he said.

Mr Chipimo said that it will also be the first time that a date for general elections is enshrined in the constitution rather than the incumbent president setting the date.

The NAREP leader said although the new constitution is not perfect, the changes should nevertheless be cautiously welcomed, if there is an assurance that the referendum on the bill of rights will be held at the same time as the tripartite elections in 2016.

Meanwhile, in commending parliamentarians, TIZ acting president Sampa Kalungu noted progressive articles in the amended constitution such as dual citizenship and on the electoral system, the 50 percent-plus-one threshold for election as a president.

“As TIZ, we believe that these clauses will do away with the much despised regional politics that has slowly taken centre stage of this country and to a large extent, this clause will help to promote oneness in this country by producing a popular president elected by majority Zambians,” Mr Kalungu said.

He said the access to media clause will promote an equal playing field for both the ruling and opposition because there will be equal coverage of all political engagements by media organisations, especially the national broadcaster and print media.

Mr Kalungu said once the bill is assented to, the 2016 general elections will be held on August 11, 2016. This, he said, will accord both the ruling and opposition political parties time to plan their campaigns.

“In moving forward, we call on stakeholders to now focus on ensuring that we have a campaign that will ensure the 2016 national referendum adopts the remaining clauses and articles that were left out,” he said.

Mr Kalungu said stakeholders should not waste time crying over spilt milk but soldier on because progress has now been made in the constitution-making process that the country has been failing to do for many years.

Kenyan High Commissioner to Zambia, Malawi and COMESA Sophy Kombe said the 50 percent-plus-one vote electoral system has worked well in her country.

In an interview, Ms Kombe expressed optimism that the system will also work for Zambia and give the nation a majoritarian president.

“This clause simply means that a president is voted for by more than 50 percent of the eligible voters. I am sure it will work for this country,” Ms Kombe said.

Ms Kombe said since politics is a game of numbers, the running mate clause works to the advantage of the incumbent.

In a separate interview, PF Lusaka Province youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba wondered what the Grand Coalition was up to by claiming that Government has duped Zambians on the constitution.

Mr Kamba challenged the Grand Coalition to state if they are not happy that clauses like the 50 percent plus one vote, running mate, and dual citizenship have been adopted.

“I would really want to know if the UPND and the Grand Coalition are not happy with what Zambians wanted,” he said.

MINISTER of Gender and Child Development Nkandu Luo says women must boycott conjugal duties and also refuse to have children if gender-based violations and inequalities in Zambia continue.

Launching the HeForShe campaign in Lusaka yesterday, Professor Luo lamented that women are always being battered, while girl are dropping out of school as a result of repeatedly being defiled and abused.

“We cannot allow our women and girl children abused and defiled everyday; battered and humiliated in public by men who should be protecting them from such evils.

“If men continue with abuses, women should give them space and refuse to accept any advances towards them. This is the only way the message will be sent to men to know that women are not happy with their behaviour,” she said.

Prof Luo said campaigns for gender equality have been going on for decades but that very little has been done to address gender equalities.

She said now is the time for more action to strengthen and scale up the response to gender equality and develop appropriate nationwide interventions to reverse the trend.

“Women are not meant to be stepped on by men, but must be treated as partners because they have potential to do all a man can do,” Prof Luo said.

She also called on the church to join the gender equality campaign by preaching on it on Sundays.

Prof Luo said religious leaders enjoy the trust of multitudes of people and therefore they could give the campaign a boost if they come on board.

She said the HeForShe campaign aims to get men involved in ending gender-based inequalities and violations.

And UNDP representative Martin Maya said a day hardly passes in Zambia without one hearing stories of girls being married off at a tender age; a child being deprived of her childhood; or a woman brutally beaten or murdered.

A 40-YEAR-OLD man of Chingola has told the Chingola Magistrate’s Court that his former wife nearly killed him by squeezing his sacred parts after he refused to reconcile with her.
Morgan Chingabwele of 30 Masomo Street, Chiwempala, was testifying before senior resident magistrate Davies Chibwili in a case in which he is facing one count of assault.
It is alleged that Chingabwele assaulted Beauty Chabu occasioning her actual bodily harm on November 10 this year in Chingola.
Appearing for defence, Chingabwele told the court that Ms Chabu wanted the couple to reconcile, but he refused.
He said this did not please his wife, who went to his house to insult him.
The court heard that Ms Chabu called Chingabwele and asked if she could spend a night at his house because she was stranded.
“I refused because we are divorced and I explained to her that she cannot sleep at my house because she is no longer my wife,” he said.
The court heard that Ms Chabu suspected that Chingabwele had married another woman.
“She called me asking if we can get back together and after I refused, she came to my house and started hitting the door with a stone while insulting me. She thought I was with another woman, so she entered the house and started searching.
“After that, I tried to drag her out of my house but her sister held my hands while Ms Chabu pulled my private parts,” he said.
Chingabwele told the court that he felt a lot of pain, which forced him to retaliate and assault Ms Chabu as he tried to defend himself.
“Your honour, I felt pain. My landlord came to my rescue and I ran away. She damaged my radio and locked my house,” he said.
Mr Chibwili adjourned the matter to December 22 for judgment.

(DailyMail)

The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia has said the amendments to the constitution passed in Parliament is not what the people of Zambia drafted but what the PF wanted.The Grand Coalition said the people of Zambia have clearly been duped by the Patriotic Front government and now it is trying to blindfold the citizenry to think that a new People Driven Constitution has been delivered.

They said one wonders why the PF government did not just adopt the National Constitution Commission (NCC) draft of 2010 and included whatever new clauses they wanted, than wasting so much money only to end up adopting some of the exact clauses in the NCC draft Constitution and using the same route the NCC proposed. In a statement to the media the Grand Coalition further outlined the implications of the exclusions or shooting down of some progressive clauses in the draft constitution.

Below is the Full press statement

PRESS STATEMENT

Lusaka, 17th December 2015

The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia has been vindicated in its warning that the Parliamentary Amendment of the constitution is part of a well calculated ploy to deny Zambians a people driven constitution.

The people of Zambia have clearly been duped by the Patriotic Front government and now it is trying to blindfold the citizenry to think that a new People Driven Constitution has been delivered. The Bill that was passed is not a new constitution but amendments to the constitution. What they passed in Parliament is not what the people of Zambia drafted. It belongs to the PF and not the Zambian people. What happened in Parliament last week is part of the treachery that the Grand Coalition consistently warned Zambians to be wary about.

Recollecting how the final draft constitution was birthed, it is extremely treacherous for any person to alter the contents of a document that was compiled by the people of Zambia. One wonders why the PF government did not just adopt the National Constitution Commission (NCC) draft of 2010 and included whatever new clauses they wanted, than wasting so much money only to end up adopting some of the exact clauses in the NCC draft Constitution and using the same route the NCC proposed.

[pullquote]PF government with support from the MMD want to continue to centralise power and their talk about decentralisation is but just a lip service[/pullquote]

The implications of the exclusions or shooting down of some progressive clauses in the draft constitution are that:

1. It limits citizens’ enjoyment of fundamental rights: The Bill of Rights has not been included in the amendments that passed in Parliament. This makes it difficult for citizens to enjoy their fundamental rights and freely participate in the governance of the country.
2. The shooting down of the provision on Mixed Member Proportional representation undermines the participation of women, youth and persons with disability: The amended constitution has undermined the participation of women, youths and persons with disability in national affairs and they remain at the benevolence of the leaders which perpetuates dependence and political patronage. The submissions from district, provincial and provincial levels, which were clearly captured in the final draft, were clear that citizens wanted the constitution that guaranteed the effective representation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in line with the many international instruments Zambia has signed. It is clear that the MMD and PF do not want the marginalised groups to also participate in the governance of the country as demonstrated by their unanimous resolve to shoot down such a provision.
3. The removal of the clause on Cabinet outside Parliament has undermined the doctrine of separation of powers: The amendment has also undermined the doctrine of separation of powers. We are in a subtle way going back to a one party state. The people clearly stated that in order for different arms of government to keep checks and balances on each other, Cabinet would have to be appointed from outside Parliament. This is working in other countries.
4. It has stifled access to information and freedom of the media: The people indicated that they want access to information and freedom of the media to be guaranteed in the new constitution. These provisions are not part of the PF amendments passed in Parliament. This means the PF want to continue with this current trend of beating journalists, storming radio stations and disrupting programmes. No wonder threats on media institutions have become the order of the day from the Minister responsible of protecting the media and also no wonder the Access to Information law has dragged on.
5. The amendments trashed the people’s submissions on voting on the budget: The final constitution says the budget must be passed by a two thirds majority, but the PF and MMD colluded to reject the people’s submissions, changing the clause to provide for a simple majority to pass the budget. This shows that they are so determined to continue with their lack of accountability in the management of national funds. It is sad that the PF could not learn from reasons that led to MMD being booted out-limited accountability that resulted in massive cases of corruption within government and officials.
6. The amendments left out the provisions on Provincial Assemblies, thus limiting decentralisation: Among the clauses that were shot down was the provision on provincial assemblies, whereby the constitution defined how citizens would effectively participate in local governance. PF government with support from the MMD want to continue to centralise power and their talk about decentralisation is but just a lip service.

The way in which the PF have handled their amendment of the constitution shows they want to limit citizens’ participation in the democratic governance of this country. We have every reason to fear that the current human rights violations through the limitation of the enjoyment of people’s freedoms are just but a beginning of worse things to come especially ahead of the election. That is why the PF have dropped a number of progressive clauses so that they can continue to undermine the role of citizens in the governance of this country later on drags its feet to review the Public Order Act.

What has worsened our fears is the fact that the current process does not have a clear roadmap to give guidance and indications on what will happen next on the mutilated constitution. We have already seen that those in power just decide as and when they want to change or remove some provisions of the draft without consulting the authors of the draft: the people of Zambia. Without a roadmap and legal framework, they will get away with this without accounting to anyone. However, the time to account for their actions is fast approaching and as Grand Coalition, we are resolved to make it happen for them.

What the Members of Parliament have done is like a messenger who is sent to deliver a letter, but on the way the messenger decides to open the letter and change some paragraphs.

Once again like they failed with the economy, the PF have failed even at something that was within their control.

Issued by: Ms Sara Longwe
Vice Chairperson – Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People-Driven Constitution