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Lungu Exposes Opposition Constitution Plot
PRESIDENT Lungu says he should not be held accountable for failure to deliver a new constitution if the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s efforts are frustrated by the opposition in Parliament.
And President Lungu says everyone has a role to play in ensuring that Zambia attains sustainable economic development and accountable leaders.
Mr Lungu said he has strived to ensure amendment of the constitution as desired by Zambians without going through a costly process but that some MPs are planning to derail this effort in Parliament.
He said Zambians have desired an amendment of the constitution since President Levy Mwanawasa’s administration (2001-2008) and that it was better to give them some now, than to keep deferring the matter.
President Lungu said partial review of the constitution is better than doing nothing.
He said Zambians want specific changes to be done to the constitution and these have been included in the constitutional amendment bill.
These include the dual citizenship clause, majoritarian system of electing the President, election of the vice-president as a running mate.
“I have done my part as the President of the PF to cut down on costs, ensure that we pick some of the clauses in the constitution which are not contentious, enact them now and in future have a new complete constitution,” President Lungu said.
The President said this on arrival at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport yesterday.
He said the nation currently has no sufficient resources to work on the whole constitution but can afford to amend certain clauses.
President Lungu, however, said some people still don’t mean well.
“If the opposition refuse to make changes to the constitution, you judge them in 2016. I have done my part. Why should you keep shifting goal-posts as a leader who means well for the people of Zambia,” he said.
President Lungu pleaded with MPs and ministers to support the constitutional amendment bill.
He called on Zambians to judge for themselves who means well, and said that the PF means well in whatever it does.
“One of the things that is close to my heart now as Parliament continues deliberating is the constitutional amendment bill…people want the 50-percent-plus-one vote clause, we have put it in there, dual citizenship; it’s there.
“I am told as long as they remain the opposition, they will kill this motion. So what can I do? I am washing off my hands from this constitution amendment bill. If it’s lost in Parliament, I will have nothing to do with it again,” he said.
Mr Lungu said Zambians have cried for a lot of things which Government has harnessed and put in the constitution amendment bill.
He said the country has lost a lot of money on the constitution-making process.
“The country has spent lot money for commissioners and allowances. This is a very close matter to me, I want to see changes to the constitution,” he said.
Posted by
John kabengele
November 20, 2015 at 5:12 am
Last kicks of a dying horse
Nikambeko
November 20, 2015 at 6:04 am
Opposition up to no good.
kayula
November 20, 2015 at 6:04 am
HE Edgar lungu stop being too good. Treat every Zambian the way you are treating owners of miners. Call millers and other business communities and talk to them. Let those ministers who can perfom leave and appoint pipo like kambwili, mumbi phiri anf siliya. Replace DCs with pipo with vision of the part. 2016 should be the easiest elections to be won
DIP STICK
November 22, 2015 at 8:59 am
HOW, WHEN HE HIMSELF HAS NO VISION? ECL IS REFERRING TO THE MAN IN THE MIRROR
Mumbi Phiri Cisusu
November 20, 2015 at 6:54 am
Frustrating govt efforts is what PF is good at. Remember it was PF who shot down constitution process during Mwanawasa and RB’s regimes to have the constitution in place. Ciwamila galu kuluma mbuzi. Then again after the technical committee which was PF’s brainchild laboured to collect views from people around the country, for some reasons best known to PF, Kabimba then Minister of Justice hid it and blame game started. It took some courageous Zambians who leaked it to the public for PF to release it. No opposition was involved in all this. Some Zambian forget so easily but not all Zambians forget.
Isaac
November 20, 2015 at 11:57 am
You’re damn wrong it was UPND coz PF at time was no where near any disruption. The so called rebel MPs form PF at that time can attest it. So stop accusing Pf accuse UPND party.
Fantasy
November 20, 2015 at 8:14 am
LAZ counselled the opposition that it was illegal for them to debate and that the law says referendum, has the status quo changed? washn hands meanin all chunks of money spent so far goes to water?
New Educated Zambia©❤√
November 20, 2015 at 9:17 am
Lungu your party promised more money in pockets and new constitution. Today the story has changed because you have an interest with the status quo. What has lungu exposed. Please do not insult our intelligence. Lungu for once grow some testicles or even one and do something for zambia
Judge Joe Bidden
November 20, 2015 at 10:18 am
What a bullet dodger! Is there anything Lungu and the PF hogs will take responsibility for? Economy they say its not us, its global even China has same problem, laid off mine workers – its not us its mines shareholders, erratic power supply and loadshading – its not us its regional South Africa, Botswana have same problem, high Youth unemployment rate in the country – its not us its been like this since MMD times, Poor Economy its not us the US$ is just too strong for our Kwacha! Lungu asked to be president and so he should act like one – take responsibility.
Anthony Chisanga
November 20, 2015 at 10:21 am
I think some comments are not good please try to write educative materials than calling yourfriends ba cisusu what does that can help, please be good Zambians
kakolwe
November 20, 2015 at 12:23 pm
Mr. President, if ANYTHING can get lost in parliament to your chagrin, then am sorry, you are showing the world that you have lost confidence in our supreme law making institute. The opposite is also true.
In that case, Mr President, my president, please dissolve parliament and let us have a president who can not wash his hands of a peoples’ parliament and a parliament that can have confidence in our president.
PF members, do you support this statement of hand washing off of parliament by the president?
ANNOYED!!!
Nakaala
November 20, 2015 at 1:13 pm
Ba lungu ba nsala
Sikazwethegreat
November 20, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Mr President use you power to stop carders from thinking that they own Zambia. its paining me, why should PF carders behaving like this, HH was on the copper belt and wanted to air his views about the economy. where was the law enforcement to stop the PF cadres from going where UPND was. tame these guys.
kubweka
November 20, 2015 at 9:16 pm
BAD PLITICS THAT MR PRESIDENT. YOUR OWN MP S ARE AGAINST THIS CONSTITUTION BEING DELIBERATED IN PARLIAMENT. WE WANT A PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION NOT ONE AMMENDED BY PF IN PARLIAMENT BECAUSE OF MAJORITY RULE. SO IF THAT IS A CAMPAIGN MOVE SIR IT IS NOT A GOOD ONE. THE EDUCATED ZAMBIAN CAN NOT BE BLUFFED ANYMORE. WITH ALL DUE RESPECTS SIR.
Mapalo Gracious
November 21, 2015 at 12:22 am
Pf promises lower prices,lower taxes and more money in the people’s pockets.Alas their slogan had died a natural death.Zambians please wake up.
Ba pefi
November 21, 2015 at 7:46 am
Nez can u also use yo testacle.
kakolwe
November 21, 2015 at 10:46 am
Are you offering him your grandmother? That is his fetish.
New Educated Zambia©❤√
November 21, 2015 at 10:52 am
As of 18 august when I had my last medical checkup at CFB my testicles are fully functional. Also my brain am told is still having a very high IQ.
Ba pefi
November 21, 2015 at 7:48 am
Nez can u also use yo left testacle.
Juzzed
November 21, 2015 at 7:56 pm
My brother NEZ, i hold you in very high esteem.
Am at the same time disapointed with your word T**CLE.
A president is a president.
Wiso ni wiso nangu chipuba shani.
We are getting out of the way.
Juzzed
November 21, 2015 at 8:06 pm
NEZ you have disapointed me, i hold you in high esteem.
You have gone beyond your limit cause you cant use that word T**CLE to the sitting head of state, its first in the history of Zambia.
jebo
November 22, 2015 at 10:20 am
relying on beer always givs sum1 no better think, giv him a break to drink mo.
observer
November 22, 2015 at 3:13 pm
Whatever the president is seing you can not see coz u ar not the president and in his position .he holds a very prevalleged position in the land.therefore,whatever he has observed is the truth and he needs to be commended and and to be supported by well meaning Zambians.
Leadership is a serious matter
November 23, 2015 at 3:06 am
All these problems to do with the new constitution making process are self inflicted by PF because of Winter Kabimba’s arrogance and late Sata’s dictatorial stance. Some of us still remember the arrogant responses such as “people will not eat the constitution”, “we already have a constitution”, “show me an animal constitution”. These were the responses whenever Zambians demanded to know the way forward. It became clear to any Zambian who cared that PF through its then Secretary General Kabimba who also doubled as Minister of Justice had decided not to proceed with the process. Edgar Lungu is the one who revived the process but had to meet the PF party halfway by only tinkering with some parts of the constitution. The man’s hands are tied. Had Sata been alive the thing would have been buried a long time ago. Zambia would’ve been a full fledged Zimbabwe. ECL may not agree with this analysis publicly.
Leadership is a serious matter
November 23, 2015 at 3:13 am
Stop insulting others. Analyse issues so that we find a solution. Lungu is a Zambian seeking to do his part. Your ideas and not insults will help him succeed. The opposition has a role to provide checks and balances and also an option for Zambians to choose as government if the party in power falls out of favour. That is the way to go. Insults are for the feeble minded, without a doubt.