LETTERS - Federalism, The Constitution
Federalism vs decentralizationBy CM
Wednesday October 03, 2007 [04:00]
One topic missing from the constitution talks is federalism. Federalism is the answer to underdevelopment. Decentralisation does not go far enough.
Too much power is at State House, the Ministry of Finance and its tool ZRA, Cabinet Office and Manda Hill. In the United Kingdom in 1999, Scotland and Wales were given their own parliament and regional assembly to decide on local tax matter. Scotland has oil in the North Sea but people in towns and cities like Aberdeen used to beg for handouts from the parliament Westminster in England 639 kilometres south.
Similarly you have money from gemstones in the Copperbelt Province being spent in Lusaka, Nigeria, Israel and India. Local people see very little because they have no say who mines the stones. Ng’andu Magande throws them the bones and scraps after he and company have fed at the Ministry of Finance.
Why should a Mr Sichinga in Mbala wait for development from Manda Hill 806 kilometres away? Mbala has all the resources to better Mr Sichinga's life. With federalism he would not blame the central government or the local MP who is always at Parliament Motel for underdevelopment. The money the Ministry of Finance in Lusaka hands out in the budget comes from the wealth in the provinces.
Right now we have money from gemstones in the Copperbelt and Lundazi being spent in Lusaka, Nigeria, Israel and India. The local people instead moan about the pocket change from Magande known constituency development funds.
Federalism will not lead to poverty in some provinces and separatism.
In fact it is a cure for tribalism. If Mongu, Solwezi, Mazabuka, Kabwe, Chipata, Kasama and Mwansabombwe were all as economically vibrant as Livingstone under federalism there would be far fewer people rushing to Lusaka. Lusaka is becoming another overcrowded Lagos. In Lusaka where all the money is to be found there is a lot of tribal gymnastics when real wealth is in the provinces.
South Africa is the model to follow. Each of the nine provinces has a regional legislature and a premier. The provincial legislatures can pass bills on many of the same matters as the national Parliament, but their powers are more limited. They receive some revenue from the national government and also can collect provincial taxes. For instance KwaZulu-Natal has the Port of Durban as a major revenue earner, as well as tourism, banking and manufacturing.
Guateng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are the richest provinces because local effort has made the difference.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=32238
Let's cultivate courage
By John Milimo
Wednesday October 03, 2007 [04:00]
As some people have already said, a constitution is not a gift from the government but people give themselves a constitution.
The point I want to emphasise is let us cultivate courage in the constitution-making process and not just talk about it. Words alone won't take us anywhere.
Instead let us be more pragmatic. If the majority is against NCC whose constitution will it be?
If courage is coupled with love, it can even make us sacrifice our lives for the common good. Courage bestows on us superhuman powers leading us to heights of heroism.
This can only come about with a deep inner conviction of wanting to create a just society for the common good, for it emanates not from the absence of fear but from the ability to overcome fear and it can even make us achieve that which seems impossible.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=32237
A new deal on constitution
By Kombe Ngolwe
Wednesday October 03, 2007 [04:00]
The planned boycotts of the NCC by some civic organisations and political parties reveals lack of consensus among stakeholders.
If the government-sanctioned NCC were a good mechanism, stakeholders’ decision to participate would have been an easy task. But it took days of extra-ordinary meetings and briefings to reach a decision either to boycott or join the NCC.
Since 2003, promises have been made by Mwanawasa's government to come up with a constitution that would stand the test of time and without political deceit. But now it seems the test of time is over and deceit has made a new deal with the government.
Party survival is not a proper motive for selection of a constitution-making process.
Zambians are tired of promises on the constitution and must now make a decisive step for regime change in the next elections. The status quo is undemocratic and unresponsive in taking Zambia forward. Ownership of the process will lead to ownership of the product. The government should engage opposing views about the NCC. Those opposing NCC should state their grievances and offer an alternative process.
The worst political mistake is to continue the process with only selective parties and on pretence of people’s participation. The legitimacy of the constitution involves consent not coercion.
While the NCC Act is now law and will be enforced by force, a constitution will only exist by consent. Zambia needs a new deal on the constitution.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, DECENTRALIZATION, FEDERALISM, LETTERS, NCC
posted by MrK @ 4:17 AM
2 Comments:
In fact it is a cure for tribalism.
I don't know - it could be at the national level.
What concerns me about a country made up of 'tribal' regions, is the enforcement of the rights of minorities. There would have to be strong minimum standards for human and civil rights, that would apply to every single citizen and would override all local legislation.
I would say that a system that atomized day to day governance (my model of 350 local governments) would really do take tribalism out of national politics.
If these regions are too much like countries, at some point, they will want independence (see Scotland).
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