STATEMENT MADE BY A CONSORTIUM OF CSO AT THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY ON THE CONSTITUTION HELD AT FREEDOM STATUE HELD ON FRIDAY, 4TH OCTOBER, 2013.

STATEMENT MADE BY A CONSORTIUM OF CSO AT THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY ON THE CONSTITUTION HELD AT FREEDOM STATUE HELD ON FRIDAY, 4TH OCTOBER, 2013. DEAR COUNTRY MEN, WOMEN AND YOUTH, CONSTITUTION BUILDS OR BREAKS NATIONS. THE CONTINUED INFRINGEMENT BY THE GOVERNORS ON THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE PEOPLE AND WEAK INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT IN THE COUNTRY IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CONSTITUTION. THE COUNTRY RECOUNTS THAT FROM 2007-2011 DURING THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE (NCC) THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA SPENT ABOUT ZMK140BN ON DRAFTING OF THE FAILED NCC DRAFT CONSTITUTION ALONE IN 5 YEARS WHILE THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION DRAFTING PROCESS IS TO GOBBLE BEYOND ZMK 115M IN 2YEARS. THESE RESOURCES, WHICH HAVE MOSTLY BEEN GOING INTO INDIVIDUAL POCKETS IN THE NAME OF EXPERTS AND DRAFTERS, COULD HAVE BEEN UTILISED TO OTHER NEED AREAS SUCH AS UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYMENT CREATION, PROCUMENT OF BCG FOR THR INFANTS, ETC. WE ARE SOLEMNLY GATHERED HERE, COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN, TO REFLECT ON HOW GOVERNMENT AND THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE DRAFTING THE NEW ZAMBIAN CONSTITUTION (TCDZC) HAVE BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS ENTRUSTED ON THEM BY YOU THE CITIZENS. SINCE NOVEMBER 2011, DATES HAVE BEEN SET AND SHIFTED AT WILL WITHOUT ANY REGARDS ON YOUR EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS BY THE TCDZC. THIS PEACEFUL GATHERING WE ARE HAVING TODAY IS A PEACEFUL EXPRESSION OF FRUSTRATION AND DISBELIEF THAT OUR OWN COLLEAGUES AND BROTHERS, WHOM WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH TO HAVE A BETTER CONSTITUTION URGENTLY TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE 1991 CONSTITUTION AS AMENDED IN 1996, HAVE OPTED TO BETRAY US. TCDZC HAS BEHAVED LIKE DESERT SANDDUNES BY CONTINOUSLY SHIFTING GOAL POSTS ON THE RELEASE OF THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO AN EXTENT THAT NOW, THEY ARE EVEN AFRAID TO STATE WHEN THE DOCUMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE PUBLIC. THIS IS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC WHO TRUSTED THEM WITH THE JOB. THE LACK OF CLARITY ON THE DATES AND TIMES WHEN THE DOCUMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED AND THE DELAYING TACTICS BEING EXHIBITED BY THE TCDZC IS MOST UNFORTUNATE AND DISTURBING, TO SAY THE LEAST. COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN, I KNOW THAT YOUR MEMORY IS GOOD AND CAN RECALL THAT THE LAST OFFICIAL DATE SET OUT BY THE TCDZC TO RELEASE THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION WAS 30TH JUNE, 2013 BUT ALAS, THIS DATE WAS NOT ADHERED TO AND MANY EXCUSED HAVE BEEN ADVANCED SINCE THEN. TODAY, THE TCDZC HAS NOW STARTED SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATING IN TONGUES, WHICH ARE HARDLY UNDERSTOOD BY STAKEHOLDERS AND ZAMBIANS AT LARGE. IT IS WITH THIS BACKGROUND, THAT CIVIL SOCIETY DECIDED TO ORGANISE THIS PUBLIC GATHERING TODAY AT THE FREEDDOM STATUE SYMBOLISING OUR FREEDOMS AS ZAMBIANS TO DECIDE OUR DESTINY ON THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS. WE THEREFORE WANT TO DEMAND THAT; 1. THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE DOES RELEASE THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION IMMEDIATELY AND SETS A DATE FOR THE EVENT. AS CIVIL SOCIETY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT ANYMORE TIMELESS AND DATELESS CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS IN ZAMBIA; 2. THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE PRESENTS THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE PUBLIC SIMULTANEOUSLY. ANY MANUOVRE TO JUST HAND OVER THE DOCUMENT TO THE PRESIDENT FIRST BEFORE THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED OR ACCEPTED BECAUSE THAT IS A RECIPE FOR MANIPULATION; 3. THAT THE BASIC MINIMUM PRINCIPLES ARE ADHERED TO. FAILURE BY THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE THE MINIMUMS, WILL RENDER THE DOCUMENT NULL AND VOID IN THE EYES OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS; 4. THE WRANGLES IN THE RULING PF SHOULD NOT DERAIL THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS AND BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OR GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE DOCUMENT ON TIME. WE ALSO DEMAND FROM GOVERNMENT THE FOLLOWING; 1. PROVIDE A CLEAR ROADMAP AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH ROADMAPLESS PROCESS WHERE THINGS ARE LEFT TO CHANCE. THE ARGUMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL CROSS THE CONSTITUTIONAL BRIDGE WHEN THEY REACH THERE IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF THERE IS NO BRIDGE AT ALL; 2. IMMEDIATELY CONSTITUTE A REFERENDUM COMMISSION TO OVERSEE THE REMAINING PART OF THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS IN ZAMBIA; 3. INCLUDE A REFERENDUM BUDGET LINE IN THE 2014 BUDGET PROPOSAL TO BE PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT ON FRIDAY NEXT WEEK 11TH OCTOBER, 2013 4. ENSURE THE IMMEDIATE END TO THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS IN ZAMBIA AND SAVE THE COUNTRY OF ITS MUCH NEEDED FINANCIAL RESOURCES; 5. REVIEW THE REFERENDUM ACT OF 1969 TO BE IN LINE WITH THE CONSTITUTION, ECZ ACT NO. 24 OF 1996 AND THE ELECTORAL ACT NO. 12 OF 2006. IN CONCLUSION, THE CIVIL SOCIETY WILL NOT STAND AKIMBO WATCHING THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS CONTINUE TO BE DELAYED OR BE HIJACKED BY PEOPLE WITH AGENDAS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. IT IS MIND TEASING TO SEE THAT THE SAME CONSTITUTION OF 1996 CONDEMNED BY OUR LEADERS WHILE IN OPPOSITION ARE TODAY VERY RELAXED UNDER IT AND ENJOYING ITS DEFECTIVE PROVISIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE PF GOVERNMENT AND THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE TO ASPIRE TO INSPIRE THE PUBLIC ON THIS PROCESS BEFORE THEY EXPIRE, AS FR. CLEAOPUS LUNGU WOULD PUT IT. COUNTRYMEN, WOMEN AND YOUTH, TIME TO STAND UP AND DEMAND FOR THE CONSTITUTION THAT BEARS YOUR ASPIRATION AND INTERESTS IS NOW. LET US ALL RISE UP AND DEMAND FOR WHAT BELONGS TO US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!! . DEAR COUNTRY MEN, WOMEN AND YOUTH, CONSTITUTION BUILDS OR BREAKS NATIONS. THE CONTINUED INFRINGEMENT BY THE GOVERNORS ON THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE PEOPLE AND WEAK INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT IN THE COUNTRY IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CONSTITUTION. THE COUNTRY RECOUNTS THAT FROM 2007-2011 DURING THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE (NCC) THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA SPENT ABOUT ZMK140BN ON DRAFTING OF THE FAILED NCC DRAFT CONSTITUTION ALONE IN 5 YEARS WHILE THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION DRAFTING PROCESS IS TO GOBBLE BEYOND ZMK 115M IN 2YEARS. THESE RESOURCES, WHICH HAVE MOSTLY BEEN GOING INTO INDIVIDUAL POCKETS IN THE NAME OF EXPERTS AND DRAFTERS, COULD HAVE BEEN UTILISED TO OTHER NEED AREAS SUCH AS UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYMENT CREATION, PROCUMENT OF BCG FOR THR INFANTS, ETC. WE ARE SOLEMNLY GATHERED HERE, COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN, TO REFLECT ON HOW GOVERNMENT AND THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE DRAFTING THE NEW ZAMBIAN CONSTITUTION (TCDZC) HAVE BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS ENTRUSTED ON THEM BY YOU THE CITIZENS. SINCE NOVEMBER 2011, DATES HAVE BEEN SET AND SHIFTED AT WILL WITHOUT ANY REGARDS ON YOUR EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS BY THE TCDZC. THIS PEACEFUL GATHERING WE ARE HAVING TODAY IS A PEACEFUL EXPRESSION OF FRUSTRATION AND DISBELIEF THAT OUR OWN COLLEAGUES AND BROTHERS, WHOM WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH TO HAVE A BETTER CONSTITUTION URGENTLY TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE 1991 CONSTITUTION AS AMENDED IN 1996, HAVE OPTED TO BETRAY US. TCDZC HAS BEHAVED LIKE DESERT SANDDUNES BY CONTINOUSLY SHIFTING GOAL POSTS ON THE RELEASE OF THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO AN EXTENT THAT NOW, THEY ARE EVEN AFRAID TO STATE WHEN THE DOCUMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE PUBLIC. THIS IS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC WHO TRUSTED THEM WITH THE JOB. THE LACK OF CLARITY ON THE DATES AND TIMES WHEN THE DOCUMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED AND THE DELAYING TACTICS BEING EXHIBITED BY THE TCDZC IS MOST UNFORTUNATE AND DISTURBING, TO SAY THE LEAST. COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN, I KNOW THAT YOUR MEMORY IS GOOD AND CAN RECALL THAT THE LAST OFFICIAL DATE SET OUT BY THE TCDZC TO RELEASE THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION WAS 30TH JUNE, 2013 BUT ALAS, THIS DATE WAS NOT ADHERED TO AND MANY EXCUSED HAVE BEEN ADVANCED SINCE THEN. TODAY, THE TCDZC HAS NOW STARTED SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATING IN TONGUES, WHICH ARE HARDLY UNDERSTOOD BY STAKEHOLDERS AND ZAMBIANS AT LARGE. IT IS WITH THIS BACKGROUND, THAT CIVIL SOCIETY DECIDED TO ORGANISE THIS PUBLIC GATHERING TODAY AT THE FREEDDOM STATUE SYMBOLISING OUR FREEDOMS AS ZAMBIANS TO DECIDE OUR DESTINY ON THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS. WE THEREFORE WANT TO DEMAND THAT; 1. THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE DOES RELEASE THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION IMMEDIATELY AND SETS A DATE FOR THE EVENT. AS CIVIL SOCIETY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT ANYMORE TIMELESS AND DATELESS CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS IN ZAMBIA; 2. THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE PRESENTS THE SECOND AND FINAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE PUBLIC SIMULTANEOUSLY. ANY MANUOVRE TO JUST HAND OVER THE DOCUMENT TO THE PRESIDENT FIRST BEFORE THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED OR ACCEPTED BECAUSE THAT IS A RECIPE FOR MANIPULATION; 3. THAT THE BASIC MINIMUM PRINCIPLES ARE ADHERED TO. FAILURE BY THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE THE MINIMUMS, WILL RENDER THE DOCUMENT NULL AND VOID IN THE EYES OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS; 4. THE WRANGLES IN THE RULING PF SHOULD NOT DERAIL THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS AND BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OR GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE DOCUMENT ON TIME. WE ALSO DEMAND FROM GOVERNMENT THE FOLLOWING; 1. PROVIDE A CLEAR ROADMAP AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH ROADMAPLESS PROCESS WHERE THINGS ARE LEFT TO CHANCE. THE ARGUMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL CROSS THE CONSTITUTIONAL BRIDGE WHEN THEY REACH THERE IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF THERE IS NO BRIDGE AT ALL; 2. IMMEDIATELY CONSTITUTE A REFERENDUM COMMISSION TO OVERSEE THE REMAINING PART OF THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS IN ZAMBIA; 3. INCLUDE A REFERENDUM BUDGET LINE IN THE 2014 BUDGET PROPOSAL TO BE PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT ON FRIDAY NEXT WEEK 11TH OCTOBER, 2013 4. ENSURE THE IMMEDIATE END TO THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS IN ZAMBIA AND SAVE THE COUNTRY OF ITS MUCH NEEDED FINANCIAL RESOURCES; 5. REVIEW THE REFERENDUM ACT OF 1969 TO BE IN LINE WITH THE CONSTITUTION, ECZ ACT NO. 24 OF 1996 AND THE ELECTORAL ACT NO. 12 OF 2006. IN CONCLUSION, THE CIVIL SOCIETY WILL NOT STAND AKIMBO WATCHING THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS CONTINUE TO BE DELAYED OR BE HIJACKED BY PEOPLE WITH AGENDAS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. IT IS MIND TEASING TO SEE THAT THE SAME CONSTITUTION OF 1996 CONDEMNED BY OUR LEADERS WHILE IN OPPOSITION ARE TODAY VERY RELAXED UNDER IT AND ENJOYING ITS DEFECTIVE PROVISIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE PF GOVERNMENT AND THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE TO ASPIRE TO INSPIRE THE PUBLIC ON THIS PROCESS BEFORE THEY EXPIRE, AS FR. CLEAOPUS LUNGU WOULD PUT IT. COUNTRYMEN, WOMEN AND YOUTH, TIME TO STAND UP AND DEMAND FOR THE CONSTITUTION THAT BEARS YOUR ASPIRATION AND INTERESTS IS NOW. LET US ALL RISE UP AND DEMAND FOR WHAT BELONGS TO US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!!