Constitution-making process needs legal protection - ZEC
By Roy Habaalu
Mon 30 Jan. 2012, 13:59 CAT
THE Zambia Episcopal Conference says the constitution-making process needs a legal instrument that safeguards and protects its content.
During a press briefing yesterday at which they released a pastoral letter themed: "That they may have abundant life", ZEC president Archbishop Ignatius Chama said from experience, the Church had learnt that if the constitutional-making process was not sufficiently protected by law, it was prone to political manipulation.
"Much as the new government has given the Zambian people assurances that the current process will be independent and that the government will endeavour to deliver a people-driven constitution, these assurances are based on trust rather than a legal framework," said Archbishop Chama.
He said the government should show commitment towards the process by appointing a referendum commission to start preparatory work in anticipation of the draft constitution.
"We urge the constitution technical committee to bear in mind that Zambia has already spent enormous amounts of money on the constitution-making process and the public is anxious to know how much more their government is going to spend this time around," he said.
He said the government should exercise diligence in the fight against corruption, which should be conducted within the confines of the rule of law.
He said the fight against corruption should be free of any symptoms that betray and misuse the judicial process to target political opponents.
"More specifically, government must demonstrate how it is reforming public accountability systems to avert future corrupt practices by those in public office today. While political leaders may seem to be corrupt, we are aware that the civil service is the engine of development in any nation," he said.
Meanwhile, Archdiocese of Lusaka Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu said previous regimes used the judicial process to persecute their political opponents.
He said current investigations on former government leaders should be based on correcting wrongs.
"We have laws and if they are not adequate, they need to be re-enforced with no directives from the executive. If the law was broken, those in charge should do their work for the good of the nation. As far as we're concerned, the ongoing investigations should be in line with the rule of law," said Archbishop Mpundu.
On management of public funds, Archbishop Chama said while the Catholic Church appreciated the government's efforts to use resources prudently, there were apparent contradictions that had come along with the measures.
"We also see policies that seem to overstretch public resources such as new additional diplomatic missions abroad in an era where richer nations are closing and rationalising their respective embassies.
"There are many other extravagances such as the setting up of many commissions of inquiry instead of consolidating existing investigative wings," he said.
On health, Archbishop Chama said it was disheartening and unacceptable for the government's reluctance to fund hospices because it did not recognise them as health institutions under the Ministry of Health structure.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, IGNATIUS CHAMA, TELESPHORE MPUNDU, ZEC
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Sata is sincere on corruption - ZEC
By Masuzyo Chakwe in Lusaka and Allan Mulenga in Mpika
Tue 17 Jan. 2012, 14:00 CAT
All those involved in plunder under Rupiah should be prosecuted. . . ZAMBIA Episcopal Conference president Ignatius Chama says all those involved in the plunder of national resources in the Rupiah Banda regime should be prosecuted.
In an interview, Archbishop Chama, who is also Kasama archbishop, said the ongoing investigations on corruption were not meant for retribution, rather to establish the truth.
"I believe what the President is doing is not actually targeting people who troubled him in the past. The President has been telling us ‘we are trying to fight corruption, not to fight human beings'. I am sure he has made it clear that we are fighting corruption. So, if we find that there are corrupt practices, which were done in the past, we need to investigate. We need to take those cases to court and we allow the court to do what they are supposed to do," he said.
Archbishop Chama said there was need to establish the truth in the manner public resources were administered in the previous regime.
"It the fight against corruption is a welcome stance because we know what damage corruption can do to society, to the development of the country. So, if we get a President who is forthcoming in fighting corruption, my view is that we should give 100 per cent support to such a President. They are trying to unearth what corrupt practices were done in the past. It is only when we find out the truth, the truth will liberate all of us. It will make all of us free. Then at the same time it is the truth that will encourage all of us to start afresh," he said.
Archbishop Chama called on all Zambians to support President Sata's crusade against corruption.
"This crusade should be supported by all of us Zambians so that truly our country becomes, if possible 80 per cent, 90 per cent corrupt free," he said.
Archbishop Chama said contrary to assertions by former vice president George Kunda, President Sata was sincere in his fighting against corruption.
Meanwhile, President Sata has appealed to Archbishop Chama to lead his congregants in praying for the country and its leadership as government strives towards making Zambia a better place for all.
In a statement issued by special assistant to the President for press and public relations George Chellah, President Sata congratulated Archbishop Chama on his elevation as Archbishop of Kasama by Pope Benedict XVI on January 12, 2012, President Sata described Archbishop Chama's elevation as a special calling that carried a huge responsibility of shepherding and providing leadership to the Catholic faithful in the diocese and the country as a whole.
"By elevating Archbishop Chama, the Holy Father has shown confidence and faith in his abilities to provide spiritual leadership to the Catholic congregants," President Sata said.
"Even as he embarks on this momentous task, we assure the Archbishop that he is accompanied by prayers and good wishes from myself, family and government. When we are called to serve, we must always dedicate ourselves to God, family and country. Our actions must demonstrate this order."
President Sata reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening the partnership between the Church and State.
Labels: CATHOLIC CHURCH, CORRUPTION, IGNATIUS CHAMA, MICHAEL SATA, ZEC
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Access to safe water and sanitation
By The Post
Wed 23 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
Marking the United Nations World Water Day under the theme “Water for cities: responding to the urban challenge”, we were reminded by Paul Kapotwe, country representative from WaterAid in Zambia, that “with the rapidly growing urban population lacking clean water and toilets, the developing world is facing a massive public health crisis.
Half of our country’s population lives in urban and peri-urban areas. Statistics show that Zambia’s population with access to safe drinking water is only 43 per cent. And only 23 per cent of our population has access to safe sanitation.
This is so despite commendable investment programmes being implemented with the support of donor agencies during and after the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade.
The past two decades have seen the passing of an unprecedented number of declarations seeking to ensure that the great majority of our people have access to safe water and sanitation .
Yet to date, the great majority of our people do not have even the most basic levels of access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Why is this so? Is it because there is no money for our government to provide these services to the great majority of our people? Yes, this can be so because our country doesn’t have much money.
But there is much more to this than just money.
Although the lack of financial resources is a factor, the key constraint to providing water to the great majority of our people is the political decision to implement the rights of our people.
And this is why those advocating the inclusion of socioeconomic rights in our Constitution do not want to compromise on such issues and are seeking a rights-based approach to these problems.
They believe every citizen has a basic right to safe drinking water and therefore, it should be a responsibility of government to ensure that every citizen has access to safe drinking water.
It is unacceptable that in the 21st century only 50 per cent of our people have access to safe drinking water and only 23 per cent have access to safe sanitation.
This is both morally and practically unacceptable. Water is life, so it is said.
Truly, water has always been an important and life-sustaining drink to humans and essential to the survival of all organisms. Water constitutes approximately 70 per cent of the human body by mass.
It is a crucial component of the metabolic processes and serves as a solvent for many bodily solutes.
Therefore, every person, whether rich or poor, should have access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
One cannot claim to uphold the sanctity of life if there is no provision for the minimal access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all.
Waterborne diseases cause many deaths each year because people lack proper drinking water and safe sanitation.
Over 90 per cent of deaths from diarrhoeal diseases in our country today occur in children less than five years old.
Malnutrition, especially protein energy malnutrition, can decrease children’s resistance to infections, including water related diarrhoeal diseases.
We can’t continue to lose so many children when improved water supply can easily reduce diarrhoea morbidity.
Our children are dying every day from causes that could be easily prevented if their families had easy access to safe drinking water and to a toilet that is built well enough to protect them from contact with human waste and the diseases that it carries.
Poor water and sanitation and unsafe hygiene practices are the main causes of diarrhoea. In addition to illness and death, lack of safe water and sanitation has many other serious repercussions for children.
Well too often, girls are forced to skip classes to go and draw water, resulting in loss of critical time for learning.
Clearly, improved water and sanitation services are a prerequisite for child survival and development.
And that is why they are a key component of the millennium development goals.
We know that throughout most of the world, the most common contamination of raw water sources is from sewage and in particular faecal pathogens and parasites.
It is clear that our people need to have access to good quality water in sufficient quantities, water purification technology and availability and distribution systems for water.
At the rate we are going, it will not be possible for us to achieve the millennium development goal of halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015.
We seem to be facing serious challenges in this goal.
Our rural communities are the furthest from meeting the 2015 millennium development goal on safe drinking water and sanitation.
Water and sanitation are services that no responsible government can ignore.
There is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it is able to deliver safe drinking water and sanitation to them.
It is therefore the task of our government to give the millions of Zambians an essential piece of dignity in their lives – the dignity that comes from having access to clean running water and safe sanitation.
Labels: IGNATIUS CHAMA, WATER, WORLD WATER DAY
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We’re far from accessing clean water - Bishop Chama
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 23 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
MPIKA Catholic diocese Archbishop Ignatius Chama says Zambia is very far from reaching the required percentages of clean water provision.
In an interview in commemoration of the World Water Day which fell yesterday, Bishop Chama said the fact that the country commemorated the day every year meant that very little had been done in providing the commodity to the masses.
“I think it is a song that has been sang many times. And the fact that we participate in commemorating the World Water Day means that we are very far from reaching the required levels,” Bishop Chama said.
“It is an issue that requires serious concern by those responsible because water deals with life. As the situation stands, we are still very far from accessing clean and safe drinking water in this country.”
Bishop Chama called for concerted efforts to ensure that everyone in society accessed clean water.
“I am appealing to those in the opposition as well, let them join in and help provide clean water to our communities. In our culture, whenever a lion attacked a community there was no separation. People fought as a community to ensure that everyone’s life was protected. There was no difference between clans and tribes, but they all confronted the common enemy which is the lion and killed it,” said Bishop Chama.
“Equally now, let all our leaders, both opposition and government sit together and resolve water problems among our people.”
On Monday, Earth Organisation executive director Lovemore Muma said it was impossible for any country to reach socio-economic development without good quality water.
Muma stated that it was important for governments, especially in Africa to give priority to the preservation and good management of water as they planned for social and economic development, whether they were focusing on health and education development or on agricultural and industrial development.
And WaterAid Zambia urged governments across the world to prioritise provision of clean water and sanitation services.
Country representative Paul Kapotwe stated that water and sanitation services should be provided in line with the world population demands.
“With a rapidly growing urban population lacking clean water and toilets, the developing world is facing a massive public health crisis. One of the biggest challenges facing the developing world is the rate of urbanisation,” said Kapotwe.
Labels: IGNATIUS CHAMA, WATER, WORLD WATER DAY
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Govt should help unpaid farmers - clergyman
By By Post reporter
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 03:59 CAT
A Mpika clergyman says the government should help farmers who have not been paid by the Food Reserve Agency for the grain supplied.
Bishop Ignatius Chama, the Mpika Catholic Diocese head, said some farmers in rural areas had not been paid by the organisation and the government needed to find an alternative way of helping them to access farming inputs for this year’s farming season.
Bishop Chama said most people still went without food despite the country having recorded a bumper harvest.
He said the maize was just rotting in storage sheds while various people did not have food to take them through to the next harvest season.
Bishop Chama made the remarks during the induction of 70 justice, peace and development members at Mpika’s cathedral church yesterday.
He said economic development should start with the improvement of people’s livelihood at household level through food security.
“Our core interest in Zambia is to make more money from exporting maize. Whatever happens to the people of Zambia thereafter is to start looking for relief food from well wishers. When are we going to be self-reliant?” said Bishop Chama. “We appreciate what government has done in terms of infrastructure, but that alone is not development because people are still starving. How do you expect them to be proactive if they do not have enough food in their homes? How do you expect civil servants to fight corruption if their daily needs are not met? How do you expect the pupils to go to school and concentrate when they have not eaten? What benefits is our grandmother in Nabwalya going to get? Is she going to eat the building?”
Bishop Chama asked the government through the district commissioner to investigate reports that officers tasked to handle the distribution of farming inputs had reduced the approved number of packs which were to be given to farmers.
Bishop Chama said justice and peace soldiers of the Catholic Church would expose the injustices that the members faced if the government did not act immediately.
He said Caritas Zambia had in most cases been misunderstood by those in government and yet the organisation’s role was to promote justice, peace and development among the people.
Bishop Chama said all human beings were equal and should benefit from the resources.
He said it was unfortunate that the politicians viewed the Catholic Church as anti-government and yet it just wanted the government to better people’s lives.
Bishop Chama said the church would not remain silent as long as the injustice continued.
Labels: FRA, IGNATIUS CHAMA
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ECZ, govt told to respect people’s right to register to vote
By By staff reporter
Sun 22 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MPIKA Catholic Diocese Bishop Ignatius Chama has advised the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the government to be serious with governance issues. Bishop Chama said there was need to respect people’s rights to register as voters and ultimately their right to vote.
Bishop Chama said he was disappointed with the manner in which the Ministry of Home Affairs conducted the mobile issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) in Mpika District.
Bishop Chama said it was unfair to exclude the people of Luchembe from the process by not sending the officers there to issue NRCs.
He said the people of Luchembe could not afford to cover the long distances to the registration office in Mpika.
“This is torture. How do you expect people to register as voters when in the first place they do not have the NRCs?” asked Bishop Chama during his homily at Luchembe Catholic Centre last week.
“As if it is not enough, ECZ also has not indicated the dates when the voter registration officer will be in Luchembe and Kanchibiya land resettlement because the field mobile registration of voters will be ending on the 18th of next month. If there will be poor turn-out of registered voters, it is government to blame because it has deliberately failed to fund ECZ adequately.”
Bishop Chama said it was disheartening that huge sums of money were being spent on by-elections at the expense of the voters registration exercise, an important process.
And Mpika Caritas director Father Patrick Chibuye complained about the poor response to the voters registration exercise.
Fr Chibuye attributed this to lack of publicity of the exercise and non-issuance of NRCs to people in remote areas.
He said about 450 people in Katibunga and 320 people in Luchembe village had not obtained NRCs and could not register as voters although they were eligible.
“If government was to carry out the NRC issuance like the way ECZ does, many people would not have been left out without having NRCs,” Fr Chibuye said.
Fr Chibuye appealed to the government to reconsider sending back the officers to issue NRCs to the people in remote areas.
Labels: ECZ, IGNATIUS CHAMA
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