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Exclusion of 50%+1 is a mockery to Zambians - Fr Mpasa

Exclusion of 50%+1 is a mockery to Zambians - Fr Mpasa
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sun 28 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT

A MANSA clergyman says the exclusion of the 50 per cent plus one threshold from the new constitution is a mockery to Zambians. Commenting on the government’s decision to set aside the clauses of the draft constitution that were referred to a referendum including the 50 per cent plus one threshold, Mansa Diocese Vicar General Fr Mambwe Mpasa yesterday said those in government had ignored the people’s wishes and interests due to selfishness.

“It is clear that the end product of the process has been designed to suit the wishes of the MMD government and not the Zambians and I think all of us who have the interest of the country at heart should say no to the enactment of a new constitution minus the fundamental 50 per cent plus one,” said Fr Mpasa said in an interview.

He doubted the legitimacy of the new constitution that would be enacted, saying many important issues that people proposed had been removed by the National Constitutional Conference.

“It is sad. Look at the resources we put into the constitution, not to talk about the money that government spent to take Chiluba's cases to the London court. Government keeps putting money on lies. This is evidenced by how they have u-turned on the promises they made on the constitution,” Fr Mpasa said. “Zambians have been cheated on proposals they made to the constitution-making process which they wanted enacted before the 2011 elections.“

He said the MMD should not use the excuse of lack of funds on the issue of the referendum because they planned to exclude the 50 per cent plus one threshold from the onset.

“They doctored it the current strategy on the constitution even when they said we will enact it before 2011 elections. The Catholic Church has been vindicated for refusing to be part of the NCC,” he said.
He said it was disappointing that the MMD could discard people’s ideas after wasting so much money on the NCC process.

Fr Mpasa said leaders must learn to put the people’s wellbeing first.

He said the MMD’s style of governance centered on selfish gains instead of integrity, honesty and sincerity.

“Leaders are very selfish. They are more interested in personal gains of governance than the interests of the nation. That’s why people are u-turning on things they started with goodwill,” said Fr Mpasa.

“You can see clearly that political leadership is lacking. The other thing is that our leaders lack honesty and integrity. How can one today take cases to London for prosecution and then the next morning change their position and say ‘I was acting on instruction’? It is selfishness.”

Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, MAMBWE MPASA

posted by MrK @ 4:29 PM