Maravi

Shikapwasha’s rejection of 50%+1 is rubbish – Milupi

Shikapwasha’s rejection of 50%+1 is rubbish – Milupi
By Chibaula Silwamba
Mon 18 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

LUENA member of parliament Charles Milupi yesterday charged that information minister Ronnie Shikapwasha's rejection of the 50 per cent plus one clause in the Constitution is utter rubbish.

Commenting on Lt Gen Shikapwasha's accusation against Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that they are advancing the 50 per cent plus one debate in order to promote chaos like they did in Zimbabwe, Milupi recalled that Zambia had a 50 percent +1 clause in the Constitution from 1964 to 1996 and there was no chaos. Therefore, it was unjustifiable to claim that the reintroduction of the clause would affect the peace the country enjoyed.

“From 1964 to 1996, which is a period of 32 years, we had 50+1 in our Constitution. No one can tell us that there was no peace between 1964 and 1996. In fact, we had more peace then especially that there were external circumstances that were threatening peace but we held together as a nation,” Milupi said.

“We did not fail to hold elections and there was no disturbance of peace,” said Milupi.

“But from 1996 to date, for about 14 years, that is when we have had this simple majority. So actually we have had a longer period of peace than we have had under this simple majority.”

Milupi said the MMD won over 80 per cent of the votes in 1991 despite the 50 per cent+1 provision in the Constitution.

“The MMD realised that by 1996 they had lost some popularity, therefore, they changed the Constitution to ensure their survival. That is how they came in with this simple majority and clauses that barred citizens they perceived were going to give them competition in elections like president Kenneth Kaunda, saying he was not Zambian because his father was from Malawi,” Milupi said.

“MMD Lusaka province acting chairperson William Banda will remember that very well.”

Milupi said it was wrong for Lt Gen Shikapwasha to compare the Zambian electoral system with those of US, Britain and other developed countries.

“It's total rubbish,” Milupi said.

“It is wrong to compare the electoral system in Zambia and US. In America they do not vote for the President directly. What they do vote is actually electoral colleges or in other words, each state sends a number of delegates to the electoral college. That is why you see that the elections between George Bush and Al Gore, even though Al Gore had more votes, what they call popular votes, George Bush won more electoral colleges. That is how he Bush became President. So the two systems are totally different. You can't compare Zambia and US.”

Milupi said even Britain had different system to Zambia's.

“Britain has the monarchy as head of state; they do not have an executive President. So if you look at who is the executive, the Prime Minister is the executive and is voted for by members of parliament. So it's not 50+1 because it's totally different,” Milupi said.

“In our case, we have an executive President directly voted for by the people.”

Milupi observed that in countries where they had been chaos, in apparent reference to Zimbabwe, it was because the leaders there wanted to perpetuate their stay in power even after losing elections.

“So that is utter rubbish,” Milupi said. “Let us not compare ourselves with countries where democracy has failed because of the desire of people to perpetuate themselves in power.”

He said Zambians want to create a democracy that should stand the test of time.

“All we are saying is that 50+1 is more than half of votes and we hope that everybody will adhere to the tenets of democracy. If you lose an election you have lost, if you have failed to gather 50+1 then you will be in the process of negotiating with smaller parties and that is about compromise in terms of policies. Zambia stands to gain better from that form of compromise,” Milupi said.

“It's a unifying factor because in the second round, even people that would not have participated in government whose policies would have probably been ignored will be taken on board. That factored in with the running mate then these parties can become running mates.”

However, Milupi said there was so much dishonesty in Zambian politics.

“If you look at the last election, even this current administration, there was a coalition of people that went to campaign for them, there was FDD, UNIP, ULP and so on. When the MMD was re-elected, it was as if they had won on their own, they forget that there was a coalition,” Milupi observed.

“But if you have a system where people can come together formally before proceeding to the second round, there will compromise on policies and even the administration that ensues after that they will have agreed what seats will be taken by who. We must have compromise.”

According to Article 95 Clause 1 of the Mung'omba draft constitution, "Elections to the office of President shall be conducted on the basis of a majoritarian system where the winning candidate must receive not less than fifty per cent plus one vote of the valid votes cast and in accordance with Article 125."

During the ongoing NCC deliberations in Lusaka last week, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said some NGOs were trying to bring chaos in the country through the 50+1 clause the way they did in Zimbabwe. He said Zambians should forget to see how this system being propagated had created chaos in other countries.

The NCC delegates would be voting tomorrow whether or not to include the 50+1 clause in the new constitution.

Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, CHARLES MILUPI, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA

posted by MrK @ 5:16 AM