Maravi

‘Zambians feel cheated over constitution’

‘Zambians feel cheated over constitution’
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Thu 09 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT

ZAMBIANS feel cheated over the government’s manipulation of the Constitution, says Engwase Mwale. Commenting on the government’s decision to exclude from the new Constitution important clauses like the 50 per cent plus one, Mwale, the NGOCC executive director, said the government had not been honest in its handling of the constitution.

Mwale said Zambia had missed an opportunity to have a constitution that would render the elections credible.

She said it was unfortunate that a few selfish individuals had taken the country backwards by ensuring that the most fundamental principles of the constitution were left out.

Mwale said the exclusion of the 50 per cent plus one threshold, among other clauses, was a direct infringement on the rights of citizens to express themselves by choosing a leader.

She said the government should rethink its position on the 50 per cent plus one clause.

“The 50 per cent plus one is important because it legitimises the office of the President because we cannot have a country being led by a minority President,” said Mwale.

Recently, Vice-President George Kunda announced that the government would enact the new constitution excluding all the clauses that the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) had referred to the referendum.

Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, CONSTITUTION, ENGWASE MWALE, NCC

posted by MrK @ 3:27 PM