Parliament under PF is only a hammer to nail down the executive’s wishes – CiSCA
By Staff Reporter
THE Civil Society Constitutional Agenda says the resignation of Amos Chanda as President Edgar Lungu’s spokesperson has vindicated everyone who shunned the April 24 to May 16 National Dialogue Forum.
In his resignation remarks on Thursday, Chanda, among other things, said he had perused the draft Constitution, particularly the clause requiring civil servants to vacate office at least two years ahead of elections, and would not want to be caught up with that should he aspire for political office in the future.
Civil Society Constitutional Agenda (CiSCA) chairperson Bishop John Mambo wondered what Chanda meant, with his reference to the draft Constitution.
“CiSCA and all who snubbed NDF [are] vindicated by Amos Chanda’s resignation speech! CiSCA would like to bring to the attention of the public a significant part of the former presidential spokesperson, Amos Chanda’s resignation speech in which he states that having seen the NDF resolutions he decided to resign than be caught up if in future he decided to run for public office,” Bishop Mambo stated in a press statement.
“What does that tell us? Under President Lungu, Parliament is a rubber stamp!
He asked how Chanda could be so sure that what came out of the National Dialogue Forum (NDF) was going to be enacted even before the bill was presented to the legislature.
“The man (Chanda) put this in writing; meaning he had time to carefully think through it. He confirmed what the Church mother bodies and all other people who have the best interest of the nation [said] that the NDF was a scam, a scheme and a charade orchestrated to justify the circumventing of the will of the people of the Constitution,” he stated.
“The NDF resolutions were a faint accomplice even before the sittings begun. Like the Buddha said there are three things one cannot hide, the Sun, the Moon and the Truth! We now know the truth in black and white, Parliament under the current hegemony is only a hammer to nail down the executive’s wishes.”
Bishop Mambo stressed that Chanda’s resignation speech, where it refereed to the draft Constitution, was confirmation that Zambia was currently a de facto autocracy.
“We strongly urge the MPs not to be used as a rubber stamp of State House but to send a stronger message to State House that you are there not only to represent your constituents collective will but to also provide the checks and balances by maintaining the doctrine of the separation of powers,” stated Bishop Mambo.
“When the bill rears its head in parliament, with a clear conscience, consign the NDF bill to the dustbin where it belongs, together with the NCC (National Constitution Conference) bill.”
