Mututwa celebrates constitution bill defeat

Mututwa celebrates constitution bill defeat
By Mwala Kalaluka in Senanga
Sun 10 Apr. 2011, 04:01 CAT

MAXWELL Mututwa says people in Barotseland celebrated the death of George Kunda’s constitution bill because it caused killings, suffering and amputations to innocent people in Western Province.

And Mututwa has said he is shocked that President Rupiah Banda is not dissolving his government following the defeat of the National Constitutional Conference constitution review process in Parliament.

Mututwa, a former Ngambela prime minister of Western Province who was released on a nolle prosequi from charges of treason related to the Barotseland Agreement of 1964, said in an interview on Tuesday that the death of the NCC constitution called for celebration.

In an interview at his residence in Senanga's Silele Village, Mututwa said the NCC process was responsible for the killings, amputations and shootings suffered by the people that were advocating for the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement.

“We celebrated the death of the NCC constitution because it is the one that caused the suffering of the people of Western Province; to be shot and to have their legs cut,” Mututwa said.

He said he was greatly touched by the story of 30-year-old Mongu resident Davison Siyoto whose leg was amputated after he was shot by police officers in Mongu on January 14, 2011 during a fracas.

“Now the NCC constitution has been defeated,” Mututwa said.

“What we know is that when a constitution of any country is defeated, the ruling party dissolves Parliament. But in this country we don't know what type of procedure we follow. The government seems to be going their own way. This government should have dissolved itself and follow international norms and I don't know why they are continuing.”

Mututwa said issues on the Barotseland Agreement started from the manner the NCC handled the matter when it came before it for consideration.

Recently, NCC draft constitution amendment failed to pass through second reading in Parliament following the MMD's failure to marshal the two-thirds majority needed for it to proceed to the next stage.