NDF is devoid of envisaged dialogue outcome – Chipenzi
By Staff Reporter
McDonald Chipenzi says the just ended National Dialogue Forum (NDF) was devoid of any envisaged dialogue principles but instead attempted to abrogate the current Constitution to meet the aspirations of the ruling Patriotic Front.
Chipenzi who is Governance, Elections, Advocacy Research Services (GEARS) Initiative executive director said that it was from this premise that he was making a solemn call to every ordinary citizen to come to the defence of the Republican Constitution from being mutilated by a select few.
“We cannot allow these select few without any consultation with you, the citizens, who through the Technical Committee that drafted the current Constitution aspired for a 50%+1 presidential electoral system, mayors/elected by universal suffrage, dissolution of Parliament and vacation of ministers and MPs from office upon dissolution, to sneak back provisions such as deputy ministers, election of mayors/chairpersons within councils which you the people of Zambia spoke loudly against in the 2016 Constitution of Zambia,” he said.
“Should we allow these amendments to pass, then, we would have surrendered our rights to politicians and a “select few” to do as they wish to the Constitution now and in future”.
He stated that citizens were now ordered under Part I of the current Constitution and are all summoned to come to action in Defence of the Constitutions the supreme law of the land by engaging in a mass sensitisation gear on this evil attempt by NDF.
“In line with Article 2, we directed that every person-MPs, Councillors, political parties, church, CSOs, ordinary citizens- have the right and duty to defend this Constitution and resist or prevent a person from illegally abrogating this Constitution. Let us prevent and resist the NDF efforts through their draft Constitution from abrogating the current Constitution, “he said.
Chipenzi noted that the NDF’s role was to refine the Constitution and not to bring in or remove the clauses from current Constitution.
“Now that it decided to remove and add new clauses contrary to its terms of reference, we the citizens must remobilise ourselves, call and rally behind our MPs who are the last call of action to defend and save our Constitution from actual wounds of abrogation potentially being posed by the NDF drafted Constitution,” he said.
