As the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) continues its sittings in Lusaka, one area that may be worth exploring is the enactment of a law that will make a Vice president be elected into office as a running mate to the Presidential candidate.

Article 144 (2) of the draft constitution states that “The Vice-President shall be elected as a running mate to a Presidential candidate,” subsection (4) further states that “An election to the office of Vice President shall be conducted at the same time as that of an election to the office of President so that a vote cast for a presidential candidate is a vote cast for the vice-presidential candidate and if the presidential candidate is elected the vice-presidential candidate is also elected.”

Zambia can be thought to be an icon of democracy in the region but the issue of enacting a law that would make a VP be elected as a running mate to a presidential candidate needs to be addressed objectively and given a deserved critique.

The prevailing situation is that the President-Elect keeps everyone guessing as to whom he would appoint as the number two man in the country.

Due to this speculation our men and women in the corridors of power end up struggling with each other in making the most noise during campaigns, others abandon their religious faith all in the name of wanting to be spotted by the President-elect so that they too could be considered for the vacant position of Vice President.

Nawa Mabunga of Ndola agrees that enacting such a law would be very beneficial to the country and to democracy as a practice. He explains that such a law would make the office of the Vice President to carry out its functions without fear.

Mr Mabunga observes that the current environment is not conducive for the office of the Vice President to be objective as any person occupying that office is just there to please his appointing authority and can never allow himself to differ in opinion with the President as he can be fired any time and as to when the President pleases.

He goes on to explain that having an elected for Vice President would help the country to save its merger resources incase of eventualities such as the state funeral that the country experienced last year.

He said if the country at the time had an elected into office vice president he would have simply assumed office and all the money that was spent on the elections and campaigns would have been channeled to national development.

However, Mabunga advises that there is need for the two to strictly work within the stipulations of their roles. He notes that it would not look very well if the vice president tried to outshine the President and that the only way to avoid such a thing would be to stick to out job description, and not to make governance difficult for the other just because he does not have the power to dismiss.

Patricia Mwansa observes that having the Vice President as a running mate to a Presidential Candidate would enable the people of Zambia to vote for a Vice President of their choice as opposed to the current situation where the second most important man in the nation is imposed on them.

She articulates that people would be extremely cautious when voting for the presidential candidate and that some presidential hopefuls would lose elections on the choice of their Vice President running mates.

“Enacting such a law would be very beneficial to us as Zambians because for the first time in our history we as people would have a say in choosing the vice president, if you feel a certain vice presidential candidate can not deliver you simply do not vote for the Presidential candidate whom he is running mate to, you go for other choices,” she notes.

Ms Mwansa further observes that such a practice would be very beneficial even to the political parties concerned as it would kill in-house fighting amongst members which she said is usually perpetuated by individual speculation s that may be one may be appointed by the president as Vice President.

She further stresses that it would also be important to stipulate that once someone has served as Vice President for two terms, they therefore will not be eligible to stand for the same office again, because the people would have had already given them a chance to implement those ideas as Vice President.

Nancy Chewe adds that having a Vice President who ascends to office as a running mate of a Presidential Candidate will also entrust the Vice President with confidence because he would feel that the people chose him as well and not the prevailing situation.

Chewe points out that Africa and Zambia in particular is very mature in politics and that it is capable of practicing what is being practiced in bigger democracies elsewhere.

She says if enacted the law would even deter certain leaders that cheat their colleagues during campaigns that they would make them ice president if they go through and yet they have other leaders in their minds to appoint VP, she added that the article would encourage honesty and transparency among the political players.

Ends/pc/zanis/ndola

Katuba member of parliament, Jonas Shakafuswa, and Mpulungu member of parliament, Lameck Chibombamilimo have been expelled from the MMD.

MMD national secretary, Katele Kalumba, announced the expulsion of the two MPs during a press briefing in Lusaka on Tuesday.

Dr. Kalumba said the NEC made the decision during a meeting held to discuss various matters related to discipline in the party.

He said the MMD will soon inform the speaker of the national assembly about the decision.

Dr. Kalumba said NEC has evidence indicating that the two officials have arrogantly made statements in the media and conducted themselves in a manner which has embarrassed the party.

This was after they were relieved of their duties as deputy ministers.

Last Thursday, President Rupiah Banda fired Mr. Shakafuswa who was Science and Technology deputy Minister and his counter part at Energy Mr. Chibombamilimo.
/ZNBC/NEWS

The civil society on the Copperbelt Province has petitioned Vice President George Kunda to immediately drop Task Force Prosecutor Mutembo Nchito.

Led by Mufulira District Commissioner Daiford Mulwa, the civil society handed over their petition to Copperbelt Provincial Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima at the provincial Administration office this morning.

Installation Forum spokesperson Dr Paul Mulenga said there was need for Mutembo Nchito to be dropped with immediate effect because it was not right for him to continue as Task Force prosecutor while he is the executive director of Zambian Airways, a defaulting company he claimed owed Zambia a lot of money.

“ ( Mr ) Mutembo Nchito can not continue to be on the task force when he executive director of Zambian Airways a company which owes our public institutions a lot of money that can be channelled to developmental projects,” Dr Mulenga said.

He said criminal charges should be instituted against Mr Nchito as there was conflict of interest surrounding the matter.

And Constituency Concerned Citizens Forum (CCCF) said that the embattled Task force Prosecutor should step down on moral grounds.

CCCF member Wilbroad Mutoloka said it be prudent for Mr Nchito to step down to allow for the smooth flow of justice.

Authentic Advocates for Justice and Democracy (AAJD) Publicity Secretary Josephat Changwe has applauded the New Generation Party for speaking out against Mr Nchito.

Mr Changwe said government should immediately appoint an inquiry on the operations of the Zambian Airways so that the nation could know the truth.

ZANIS/PC/Ends/MM

THE Patriotic Front (PF) in Livingstone says the party did not perform well in the just ended presidential election because the party structures at the grassroots level are weak.

PF Livingstone Constituency Chairman Cosmos Mwamba said the PF membership did not exist at the grassroots adding that the party only existed at the constituency level.

”There are no structures of PF as at now on the ground. We only have a structure at the constituency level but we want this to change so that we can be more organised in 2011,” he said.

He said in order to address the problem and to avoid a repeat of the 2008 Presidential Election, the party had embarked on a mass recruitment of members.

Mr Mwamba said the party was doing everything possible to ensure that it emerges victorious in the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections.

He also dismissed claims hat the party was just for Bembas and Easterners adding that everyone was free to join the party.
ZANIS/ENDS/FM/MM

The wife of second republican president, Frederick Chiluba, Regina has been jailed for three and half years for illegally receiving government funds and property.

Regina Chiluba was found guilty of receiving stolen government funds to buy three houses on the Copperbelt and and over three hundred thousand United States dollars while former President Chiluba was in office.

Principal Resident Magistrate, Charles Kafunda, on Tuesday convicted and sentenced Mrs. Chiluba on four counts.

Magistrate Kafunda told a courtroom packed with Chiluba supporters that she had failed to explain how she had received the questionable properties and goods.

“These were serious allegations and were casually explained by the accused, and I now convict you accordingly and sentence you to three-and-a-half years simple imprisonment,” Kafunda said.

A shocked silence filled the court when the conviction was read out. Her husband Dr Chiluba shook his head.

Some relatives began to silently weep and had to be helped out and one fainted inside the court. Others began to sing gospel songs.

Soon after judgment was passed, a court clerk took Mrs Chiluba’s fingerprints while the Dr. Chiluba joined her in the dock.

She was then led to a waiting car and driven to the Lusaka Central Prison to begin her sentence.

As he left the court, Dr. Chiluba said his wife’s sentence would just be a “passing phase.”