Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has described the year 2014 as a mixture of failures and successes for Zambia.
SACCORD has singled out appointments of more women to key government positions as one of the achievements that have demonstrated government’s commitment of wanting to carry everyone along on the national development agenda.
Executive Director Boniface Cheembe says another positive his organization has taken note is the continued implementation of the infrastructure development program which the Patriotic Front (PF) government embarked on upon getting into power in 2011.
Mr. Cheembe states that in 2014 the country also witnessed the launch of the revised decentralization policy which is expected to improve service delivery.
Boniface Cheembe
He says for the major part of the year, the country also maintained inflation and improved the environment for doing business under the PF government.
The SACCORD Executive Director however notes that the poor manner that government has handled the constitution making process is on the other hand the failures that the country recorded in 2014 as it was expected that the country would had a new constitution by now.
He says in 2014 the country witnessed the need to have new constitutions not only at the national level, but also at the level of political parties owing to the many internal succession wrangles in the ruling and some opposition political parties on account of their party constitutions.
Mr. Cheembe adds that government policies of removing subsidies also resulted in the increase in the cost of doing business which in turn triggered an increase in prices of essential commodities.
He suggests that as the country draw into the year 2015, SACCORD would like to see a clear improvement in the governance, economics, political and social spheres of the country.
Mr. Cheembe states the rights of people must also be respected and protected by the government and that the country needs a new constitution in 2015 besides the need for the new government to create jobs for youths.