Complete new constitution is a fallacy, says Mulongoti

Complete new constitution is a fallacy, says Mulongoti
By Zumani Katasefa
Saturday June 02, 2007 [04:00]

INFORMATION and broadcasting minister Mike Mulongoti has said having a complete new constitution is a fallacy. Speaking during a public meeting mostly attended by government workers and MMD cadres to discuss the constitution-making process on Thursday at Luanshya council chamber, Mulongoti said he was worried about so much talk on the constitution especially on the mode of adopting it when people had not even seen the document.

“It is a fallacy that you can bring in a complete new constitution. Not every thing is bad in the current constitution,” he said.

Mulongoti said a new constitution would not create jobs for Zambians. He said although rights to education, health and jobs might be enshrined in the national constitution, they were impossible to implement.

“It is not the constitution that will bring jobs, if you are lazy, you are just lazy,” he said.
He said there was need for people to be realistic over issues surrounding the enactment of the Republic constitution.

Mulongoti said there was need to deal with certain clauses in the constitution that could be dealt with instead of embarking on a process that would be costly. He said clauses like the parentage, and the 50 plus-one vote could easily be tackled without holding a referendum. Mulongoti also explained why President Mwanawasa said he would vote against the constituent assembly.

“President Mwanawasa is against the constituent assembly because he wants the constitution to be done soon. We should change things that can be changed. We should not be emotional over these things. If we can go for cheap things, why should we go for most expensive things?” he asked. “President Mwanawasa is not fearing anything, he has already crossed the river, he is just waiting for his pension,” he said.

Mulongoti added that reducing on the presidential powers would make the presidency ineffective. And a Luanshya resident Ronald Chibopya said government had no political will in the enactment of the constitution-making processs.