Maravi

NCC rejects clause on running mate

NCC rejects clause on running mate
By Ernest Chanda
Sat 23 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT

THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) on Thursday rejected a proposal in the Mung’omba draft constitution that provides for an elected vice-president. The clause first fell off at committee stage early last year, but was nevertheless pushed to the plenary for consideration.

Article 144 (2) of the Mung’omba draft constitution states that, “The Vice-President shall be elected as a running mate to a presidential candidate.” Leading the onslaught on the clause, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha expressed fear that in African politics it was easy for a vice-president to scheme against his president.

“…We shouldn’t close our eyes to the experiences of other countries. Only recently in Malawi they had a constitutional crisis because of having an elected vice-president. They couldn’t pass the budget because the Vice-President who felt that he could not be removed refused to do certain things because he wanted to make the President fail,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha argued.

“We are in Africa and unless there is a vice-president who is loyal to his President and not to himself, there will be no harmony between the two. In African politics, it’s very easy for this elected Vice-President to plan against the President in order for him to fail. It is therefore important that we leave the President to have authority over his Vice-President.”

Works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti urged the NCC to provide mechanisms that would stop indiscipline from an elected Vice-President.

“…Much as people would want to have an elected vice-president, what guarantee is there that this person will not grow bigheaded and disobey his President? There is a danger that this person will start thinking that he is also a president. So, I would be comfortable if the conference would make provisions to make the president discipline his vice without facing the wrath of the law,” debated Mulongoti.

Among other commissioners who passionately opposed the clause was finance deputy minister Chileshe Kapwepwe, Mkushi North MMD member of parliament Lucy Changwe and Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe.

But Pemba UPND member of parliament David Matongo described Lt Gen Shikapwasha as a scarecrow who saw danger in everything progressive.

“General Shikapwasha as usual is playing the scare-crow, indicating to the delegates that everything progressive is dangerous. In a democracy like the one we profess, I see no danger in having a running mate to the president. Usually you have people coming from the same group, people who would have known each other well, so how could one work against the other?” asked Matongo.
His Bweengwa counter-part Highvie Hamududu wondered when the country would conform to modern democracy.

“Zambia is not a constitutional monarch where the President is almighty. We need a vice-president who will not fear to advise his president. Yesterday we were arguing in this same House that we must advance, that we need a degree for one to be President. And today we are going against what we said yesterday. Isn’t this hypocrisy? The Presidency must be strengthened by giving the office holder an advisor who will not fear to advise him,” contributed Hamududu.

Later, during an open vote at about 19:55 hours, those against the clause won.
Those in support of the clause then quickly stood up to call for a division that could have led to a secret vote.

But this could not be granted because only 52 people stood up, a number far short of the required threshold of 100 to be granted the division.

NCC chairperson Chifumu Banda then announced that the clause had fallen off since those asking for a division could not meet the threshold.

Labels: CONSTITUTION, NCC, VICE PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 10:53 PM