Maravi

Citizens Forum queries NCC over feedback oversight

Citizens Forum queries NCC over feedback oversight
By Ernest Chanda
Sat 10 July 2010, 14:10 CAT

THE Citizens Forum has queried National Constitutional Conference (NCC) chairperson Chifumu Banda over several serious oversights in the constitution making process. In a letter to Banda dated July 7, 2010, Citizens Forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda wondered how the NCC would collect public comments since there was no deliberate programme for that.

Kabanda expressed worry about the delay in circulating the draft constitution to all parts of the country.

“Before launching the report and draft constitution, you did not come up with a programme of collecting comments from the people. We have not seen any programme for public debates or meetings in the constituencies where the NCC or any other stakeholders are going to listen to the people and get their comments on various issues contained in the NCC report and draft constitution,” Kabanda stated.

“It seems as far as you are concerned it is up to the people themselves, in different parts of the country, to come up with their own way of submitting their comments to the NCC. What method have you put in place to be receiving the people’s comments? For example, last weekend, the Freedom Fighters League on the Copperbelt met in Kitwe to comment on some issues in the constitution. We are wondering whether you have already received their submissions.”

He stated that so far 42 districts had complained to the forum about the unavailability of the draft constitution. Kabanda further complained that the NCC had not indicated how they would deal with public comments.

“Some sections of the general public are also interested in monitoring the comments being submitted to the NCC. However, you have not put in place a monitoring mechanism. How do you expect the general public and other stakeholders to know what people are saying on particular issues in the NCC report and draft constitution? For example, the general public does not know the comments of the Freedom Fighters League in Kitwe on the issues they looked at,” he lamented.

“You have not indicated to the people of Zambia how you are going to deal with their comments. If, for example, majority of the submissions to you do not agree with what you have concluded on particular issues, are you going to change the provisions in the draft constitution? For example, the Freedom Fighters League does not agree with the university degree qualification for a presidential candidate. If the majority of the submissions will be the same as that of the Freedom Fighters League on this issue, are you going to amend what you have provided for in the draft constitution?”

Kabanda suggested that the NCC quickly drafts a programme for public debates on the constitution.

“As a matter of urgency, it is important that you make available at least twenty (20) copies of the NCC report and draft constitution in each of the one hundred and fifty (150) constituencies of Zambia. People in different parts of the country are eagerly waiting to know the outcome of the NCC process; We implore you to immediately come up with a programme for public debates and meetings, and engage stakeholders to go and facilitate processes of collecting comments from the people; We are asking you to come up with a system of making public the comments as you receive them from different parts of the country,” stated Kabanda.

“Explain clearly to the people of Zambia the purpose of the comments on the draft constitution, and whether what they are submitting will influence the contents of your final draft constitution. We however wish to emphasise that by our suggestions we are not implying that the forty-day period should be extended. Not at all! Just ensure that all this is done within the same time-table, so that by the end of July, you will have received submissions from the majority of the people of Zambia. We hope and pray that you will treat our observations, concerns and suggestions with the seriousness they deserve.”

Labels: CITIZENS FORUM, NCC, SIMON KABANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:07 AM