Maravi

PF won't attend Levy's proposed indaba - Sata

PF won't attend Levy's proposed indaba - Sata
By George Chellah and Brighton Phiri
Thursday May 03, 2007 [04:00]

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said that his party will not attend President Levy Mwanawasa's proposed indaba because it is useless and a waste of valuable time. Sata said he was only ready for President Mwanawasa at the proposed Zambia Centre for Inter-party Dialogue (ZCID) presidents’ summit next month.

Meanwhile, Lusaka lawyer, Rodger Chongwe, has said that President Mwanawasa's reverse action on the constitution-making process would cause animosity and confusion among Zambians. Sata yesterday said President Mwanawasa was wasting Zambians’ time by proposing a national indaba to discuss the constitution-making process.

“An indaba for what? Levy is a liar and I cannot trust him. On public functions, he is a different person and at State House he is also a different Levy. He called an indaba last time at Mulungushi and proposals were made during that meeting, but did that indaba yield anything?" Sata asked.

"So it's a waste of valuable time and I can't trust him because he had done it before. Levy's indaba is useless and a waste of time and PF won't attend it because we don't need another talking workshop. We need things to happen now, we want a new constitution now! It's time for action."

He urged President Mwanawasa to just give in and let the people's will prevail. "Let him not continue being stubborn," Sata said.

Asked whether he was ready to meet President Mwanawasa at the ZCID's summit of presidents, which will be held sometime next month, Sata replied: "I will very much be there...I am ready for him. We will be there to meet him since it's dialogue. Even if he will, he becomes emotional and begins speaking in tongues like he usually does when he sees me. I will also speak in tongues from Mpika... it's dialogue."

And during MISA-Zambia’s Face the Media programme on Radio Phoenix yesterday, Sata said there was need for pressure to force President Mwanawasa on the constitution. "Nothing comes for nothing. Anybody trusting this government on this matter is wasting their time. Let's rise and get a referendum to amend Article 79 to bring a constituent assembly. Let's all be united without violence," Sata said. "This government is provoking us so that we get involved in violence. They want to come and say that there is violence so we can't do this."

And Joyce Macmillan from the Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) said the existing constitution has no clause for its self-destruction. "The government's argument is an obstacle. The new constitution is urgent for us as women. Women constitute half the population of this country. You can't expect this country to develop if women continue to be where they are," she said.

And Lusaka lawyer Dr Chongwe said President Mwanawasa's reverse action on the constitution-making process would cause animosity and confusion among Zambians. Dr Chongwe asked President Mwanawasa to revisit his promise to go by the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) recommendation on the adoption of the new constitution through a constituent assembly. "Zambians should not be quarrelling because the Constitution is a national issue. We are all reminded that the CRC recommended that the new constitution should be adopted through a constituent assembly," he said. "There was no provision in the terms of reference of the CRC that suggested that the new constitution should be adopted through an Indaba."

He said it was possible for the Zambians to agree on the adoption of the new constitution without calling each other names. "President Mwanawasa publicly agreed to the recommendation of adopting the new constitution through a constituent assembly. Maybe President Mwanawasa has forgotten...we have not forgotten. He can't have a reverse action," Dr. Chongwe said. "The only option is for the government and the stakeholders to agree on the Constituent Assembly. We should not be fighting."

On Tuesday, President Mwanawasa said it would be cheaper to adopt the new constitution through an indaba. He said he was prepared to call for a national convention to discuss the constitution-making process. "When we met to discuss the issue of the national indaba, my proposal was well received by the civil society who were present at State House. But I don't know whether State House ties people's mouths such that they cannot speak out while inside there. But when they went out, they went to renounce what we had agreed on the national indaba," President Mwanawasa said.

"That proposal is still open. It will be cheaper for us to adopt the Constitution... for us to ensure that those portions of the Constitution that require amendment are looked into. It will be cheaper...yes, I know that some people will not get the money from the donors which they are getting for waging war against us. But I agree, the option is still open. I am prepared to call the national convention, but that can be when it is supported by the people."

Labels: CONSTITUTION, PARLIAMENT, PF

posted by MrK @ 4:21 AM