Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Retired veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga has described as an act of good faith the release of the final draft constitution by the Patriotic Front government.
Dr. Mwaanga says this is despite the release of the national document coming rather late than was expected.
Speaking to Qfm News by telephone, Dr. Mwaanga has suggested that for such act of good faith some credibility should go to government and Justice Minister Edgar Lungu who is also acting republican President and Defense Minister.
Dr. Mwaanga has however noted that the release of the final draft constitution is but one step towards the adoption of the country’s constitution which he says should replace the current constitution which represents a one party state.
He says this is important for the country especially that countries whole around Zambia are also adopting new constitutions that owned by the people.
The retired veteran politician states that the most important thing now, having released the final draft constitution, is for the Zambian government to engage all relevant stakeholders in the country such as the civil society, political parties and the church to ensure that there is a clear roadmap leading the adoption of the new constitution through a national referendum that the people were promised.
He says this clear roadmap he is referring to must be underpinned by a legal framework and with the view of ensuring that the country has a new constitution before the 2016 general elections.
Dr. Mwaanga has charged that there is great urgency that the country enacts a new constitution owing to the fact that it is unacceptable in the democratic country like Zambia to continue using a constitution that represents a one party state type of governance.
He adds that the provision of 29 million kwacha in the 2015 national budget for the constitution making process also represents a minimum level of commitment.