Governance Activist Dante Saunders is concerned that the Patriotic Front(PF) is resisting the Church-led National Dialogue because it wants to have its own process with surrogate political parties.
And Saunders says he is not a surrogate of any political party, saying he will be back helping the PF to get on its ground once it is kicked out of power.

Mr Saunders said in an interview that the PF wants to use “unchallenged”dialogue process to pass among other issues the Constitution that favour it on the pretext that it wants to discuss matters affecting the nation.

The political activist said he has no doubt that the ZCID is earmarked to spearhead the said planned PF dialogue process.

He said the planned dialogue is likely to leave out parties that matter in the country.

Mr Saunders suspects that among the parties which he believes will be left out the PF planned dialogue are, the United Party for National Development, United National Independent Party(UNIP), National Democratic Congress, the Nevers Mumba led MMD faction, Forum Development and Democracy(FDD), Alliance for Development and Democracy(ADD) in preference to those parties that supported the third term bid term in the Constitutional Court.

And Mr Saunders said the MMD had an opportunity to give the country a better Constitution but squandered the chance because of ill motives.

“It could have included some clauses to curb corruption, capital punishment for economic plunderers to be dealt with by a military tribunal, any politician found with a corruption case to answer by the court not be allowed to contest the election.”

Mr Saunders suggested that the affected MPs should have their benefits and property surrendered to the state.

“These condition should not exempt Presidents and other civil servants who are found with the case to answer.”

Saunders also suggested that building of houses for former president should be scrapt off.

He said it is not the responsibility of the taxpayers to look after the former Presidents’ family.

He said the benefits the former presidents receive are enough for them to save for the betterment of their family even when they are gone.

Mr Saunders also proposed that all politicians including MPs should have an regulatory system that will control issues of salaries and allowances.

He said the Constitutional issues should not be the work of Parliament.

He said any change to be made to the Constitutional should not be left in the hands of Parliament but subjected to the referendum.

He proposed the need to have a Constitution board composed of outsiders such as paramount chiefs in every province, institutions such as the law association, media bodies, trade unions, the student unions, market association and religious movements.

This, he said, will ensure that the Constitution is not be tampered with at any given time when there is a change of government.

“I will be putting these proposals to the incoming government for consideration,” he said.