Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Guy Scott
Acting President Guy Scott has be encouraged to attain his life time achievement for the Zambian people by ensuring that the forthcoming presidential election is held on the basis of the 50+1 winning threshold.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) says it is presently within Dr Scott’s right as acting republican President to do something which the people of Zambian have for a long time yearned for, which is having the President elected by a majority vote.
YALI governance advisor Isaac Mwanza has told QFM News in an interview that this is particularly that Parliament has the power to amend any part of the country’s constitution.
Mr. Mwanza says Dr. Scott should therefore start by calling for meetings with opposition leaders in order to build consensus on how this can be done after the burial of the late President.
He says amending the country’s constitution to include the 50+1 winning threshold for the republican president as stipulated in the final draft constitution will also lessen the work on the current constitutional reforms Zambia is undertaking.
Mr. Mwanza notes that this means that when the time comes for a national referendum on the final constitution, the concentration will therefore be on other controversial clauses such as the Bill of Rights and Presidential running mate.
He says his organization further holds the view that time is now for the country to seriously start thinking about holding a referendum on the final draft constitution.
Mr Mwanza says after the burial of President Michael Sata, YALI also hopes that Dr. Scott will in this case give a precise direction on how the country’s constitution making process will proceed now that the final draft constitution has been released.