Leave SADC heads alone, Ronnie tells Oasis
Leave SADC heads alone, Ronnie tells OasisBy Noel Sichalwe
Tuesday July 24, 2007 [04:00]
THE Oasis Forum should leave the SADC heads of state alone, home affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said yesterday. And foreign affairs minister Mundia Sikatana has said the constitution making process was an internal issue that should be left to the Zambians.
Commenting on the Oasis Forum’s planned demonstration and petitioning of the SADC heads of state during next month's summit, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the Oasis Forum should respect the heads of state during the summit in Lusaka.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Oasis Forum should not go ahead with its planned protest.
"They (Oasis Forum) should respect the heads of state who are coming for the SADC summit," he said. "They should not all the time be protesting about the constitution."
He also welcomed the NGO bill that was presented to Parliament last week. He said just as NGOs wanted the government to be transparent, they also needed to be transparent and accountable.
Justice minister George Kunda presented the NGO Bill to Parliament last week and the committee on legal affairs, governance, human rights and gender matters would report the submissions of members of parliament regarding the Bill on August 3.
And Sikatana said the SADC heads of state had other issues to deal with during the summit.
"The Zambian constitution is a Zambian issue, the constitution is an internal issue that will be handled internally and it should not be taken to the SADC heads of state," he said.
Sikatana further said his ministry was in touch with the heads of state in the region to ensure that they confirmed the travel arrangements. Sikatana said summit preparations had reached an advanced stage and that Zambia was ready to host the heads of state.
The Oasis Forum and the Collaborative Group on the Constitution (CGC) have planned demonstrations and intend to petition the SADC heads of state during next month's summit over the government's delay in putting in place a new constitution.
Labels: RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, SADC
posted by MrK @ 3:29 AM
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