MPs commended for rejecting amendments to Referendum Act

The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia has commended Members of Parliament (MPs) for their reservations to unnecessary amendments to the Referendum Act.

This follows last week’s Wednesday debate in the National Assembly on the Referendum Amendment Bill N.A.B No. 5 of 2015 that was presented by the Minister of Justice Ngosa Simbyakula for second reading.

Grand Coalition Vice president Sara Longwe has told Qfm News in a statement her coalition was particularly pleased by Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs Jack Mwiimbu’s reading his report that the Members of his Committee have rejected government’s move to force piecemeal constitutional amendments on the people of Zambia.

Ms. Longwe says this is what her Coalition believes MPs ought to be doing, speaking for and on behalf of the people who elected them.

She states that the Grand Coalition therefore commends the MPs for being the voice of the voiceless.

And Ms. Longwe notes that the Parliamentary Committee’s Report also vindicates the Grand Coalition’s position that there is no conflict between the current Referendum Act and the Constitution provisions on the national referendum.

She says this is in contrast with what the Government earlier indicated that there exists a conflict and therefore the amendment will harmonize the laws.

Ms. Longwe says her Coalition is therefore tempted to believe that some of these proposed amendments are part of the government’s well calculated delaying tactics in order to deny the people their birth-right.

She has since encouraged MPs to reject the Referendum Amendment Bill N.A.B No. 5 of 2015.