FODEP hints of 2015 Presidential By-election winner

MacDonald Chipenzi

The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has observed that the promise to enact the country’s new constitution will be the determinant for any candidate who will win the 2015 presidential by-election.

Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi says this means time has come for political parties in the country to redeem themselves and commitment themselves to the enactment of the new constitution that will address the lacunas in the current constitution.

Mr. Chipenzi has told Qfm News by telephone that Zambians are expecting a document that will review the challenges in the current constitution that have led to country wasting a lot of millions of kwacha on processes such as Presidential by-elections.

He says civil society organizations like FODEP therefore want to see political parties’ campaign messages that unpack commitment to among things besides the enactment of a new constitution, addressing concerns on the Public Order Act, NGO Act and the Penal Code.

Mr. Chipenzi notes political presidential candidates should thus tell Zambians exactly how they will deal with these issues that have been pending on people’s minds for a long time.

He has cautioned any would-be presidential candidate in the 2015 Presidential by-election to be however mindful that the people of Zambia have learnt lessons in the past not to ever tolerate another populist person who will end up failing to meet their expectations.

And Chipenzi states that despite the time being short in which to hold the 2015 Presidential by-election, FODEP expects that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will perform its mammoth task of updating the voters register.

He says his organization is of the view that with proper systems and sensitization in place the country can have an updated register before the Presidential by-election.