Maravi

NCC seeks to wind up before Parliament reopens

NCC seeks to wind up before Parliament reopens
By Ernest Chanda
Fri 18 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

NATIONAL Constitutional Conference (NCC) spokesperson Mwangala Zaloumis has said the Conference is likely to finish deliberating reports of the remaining five committees when it resumes sitting on January 12, 2010.

Addressing the media at the NCC secretariat in Lusaka yesterday, Zaloumis said there was a desire by delegates to finish deliberating on all remaining committee reports before the next sitting of Parliament if time and resources permit.

“I know it's an ambitious programme for the NCC that this time we should finish all the committees' work. That is if logistics are allowing us and finances are allowing us; because even where we sit we have to pay for the Mulungushi International Conference Centre,” Zaloumis said.

“We are not the only people who are knocking on the government financial doorsteps trying to make our case, we are competing with many others. We hope that we can sit, all we can do is present this to government, but we can sit and complete this work within this next session. So, we are likely to have a draft constitution sometime next year."

Asked if Zambia would have a new constitution before the 2011 general election, Zaloumis said it was dangerous to tag a constitution to an event.

She said a mistake was made in 1996 when amendments were made to the constitution with a view to targeting certain events and individuals.

"Now, in constitution making, the most dangerous thing one can do is to link that process to an event. In 1996 if you remember, the constitution was amended to target certain people or certain events, or certain groups.

This time around those who've been advocating for a good constitution, for a process that is acceptable since 1991, we've learnt NCC seeks to wind up before Parliament reopens lessons that you do not target or tie the process to a certain event," she said.

"That event should fall in the constitution making so that all the events coming are catered for. So, to me the general election is one of the events that should be catered for. It doesn't mean that the general election is the only event that should be catered for, it's one of the many events that should come in future."

The last sitting of the NCC, which was due to close in December this year was prematurely adjourned to allow for the sitting of Parliament from September 18 to December 31, 2009.

So far, the NCC has completed five of the 11 committee reports, and is expected to continue considering the Legislative committee report before winding up on the remaining five.

Labels: MWANGALA ZALOUMIS, NCC, PARLIAMENT

posted by MrK @ 9:10 AM