'PF has opportunity to put Zambia back on path of development'

'PF has opportunity to put Zambia back on path of development'
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Mon 14 Nov. 2011, 13:55 CAT

THE PF government has every opportunity to put Zambia back on the path of development by expediting the enactment of a people-driven constitution, says Reverend Richard M'bao.

In an interview, Rev M'bao, who is the chairperson of the Pastors' Forum for Eastern and Southern Africa, said Zambians would only appreciate the meaning of democracy and good governance if the new government committed itself to giving the nation a constitution that would give power to the people.

Rev M'bao said the MMD regime failed to embrace the wishes of the people on the Constitution because of selfishness of leaders who were in government.

He said it was sad that the country lost huge sums of money on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) which was imposed on the people despite the then government being cautioned several times that the process would fail.

"We want to commend the Catholic Church, political parties and many other institutions that never gave up but were willing to protect the interests of the poor despite the tyrannical leadership that were exhibited by the MMD government. These institutions should not relax but they must continue speaking until a new constitution that will embrace the desires of the people is put in place," said Rev M'bao.

"Since its independence in 1964, Zambia has made several attempts to enact a people-driven national constitution through the appointments of constitutional review commissions. Observers, including church officials, say these attempts have been thwarted by strong politicians whose interest is to entrench their hold on power. We hope President Michael Sata who pledged to run a people's government will do the wise thing; he should give Zambians what they have been yearning for for decades and history will remember him as one of Zambia's visionary leaders."