Oasis Forum ready for Levy over constitution
Oasis Forum ready for Levy over constitutionBy Brighton Phiri
Wednesday April 18, 2007 [04:00]
THE Oasis Forum has declared that it is ready for President Mwanawasa's challenges over the constitution-making process. Commenting on government's decision to publish President Mwanawasa's letter in the public newspapers, Oasis Forum chairperson William Mweemba said the Forum had all the legal answers to President Mwanawasa's questions.
"We are ready for President Mwanawasa because we have all the legal answers to his questions," Mweemba said. "We shall in due course give legal answers for all the issues raised in President Mwanawasa's letter." Mweemba said there was nothing new that President Mwanawasa raised in his letter to the Oasis Forum.
He said the issues which President Mwanawasa raised in his letter, had already been discussed at various fora over the constitution making process. "These are the same issues that we have raised at various fora with government," he said.
Mweemba reminded President Mwanawasa that some of the constitutional lawyers that had written several papers on Article 79 of the constitution were members of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ).
He explained that Oasis Forum's response to President Mwanawasa's letter had been delayed due to a bereavement in LAZ membership. "We have lost one of our members and we are burying today (yesterday). So we shall soon sit as Oasis Forum to respond to President Mwanawasa's letter, hopefully before the end of the week," Mweemba said.
In his letter to Oasis Forum, President Mwanawasa stated that it was government's view that they could not introduce a Constituent Assembly without changing Article 79 of the Constitution.
He stated that the government's position, which was supported by the wording of Article 79(3), which he said the Oasis Forum was aware of, was that a Census and Referendum should be conducted before a Constituent Assembly was introduced.
"The argument by the Oasis Forum that a Constituent Assembly can be introduced by a Constituent Assembly Act without invoking Article 79 because an entirely new Constitution is intended, is to say the least misconceived," read President Mwanawasa's letter in part.
The Oasis Forum declared a constitutional war against President Mwanawasa after a stakeholders consultative meeting at Lusaka's Mulungushi International Conference Centre last Saturday.
Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) president Stanley M'hango said his organised had fully endorsed the Oasis Forum's resolutions and roadmap and that FODEP would actively participate in sensitising and mobilising the citizens over their quest of a new Constitution.
Labels: FODEP, OASIS FORUM
posted by MrK @ 3:57 AM
2 Comments:
Gents
Wasn't there mention about the president having referred to the Oasis Forum as being "stubborn"
Those that have read the letter does this point come out or were we mis-lead by the Oasis Chairman?
Just curious that's all...
I was under impression that the letter has NOT been published. Certainly Teta's statement was high caveated...he appeared to say Government SHOULD not Government WILL.....
I could be wrong, but I have not seen it. In any case there's a crisis in Civil Society at the moment..these groups recommended a path that is just illogical to me..
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