Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula
Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula says the Constitution Amendment Bill 2015 and the Constitution of Zambia Bill 2015 will be published on Saturday, 1st August, 2015.
Dr Simbyakula has told Parliament today that the Bills which have been drafted are expected to be tabled in Budget sitting of Parliament after ensuring compliance with Article 79(2) of the current constitution which requires 30 day publication period prior to introduction in the house.
He says following the public concerns raised on the identification of clauses for enactment into the constitution, Cabinet has decided to table all the provisions of the draft constitution prepared by the Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian constitution except the bill of rights and provisions on alterations of the constitution provided for under Article 79 of the current constitution.
Dr Simbyakula says the Bill of rights and Article 79 of the constitution will be subject to a referendum during the 2016 general election.
The Justice Minister has since urged members of the public to take time to study the contents of the documents once published and make their submissions to the relevant committee of Parliament at the appropriate time.
Meanwhile Government spent about K12 billion unrebased on three commissions of inquiry appointed by late President Michael Sata in 2011.
These are the commissions of inquiry on the Mongu riots of 14th January 2011,the sale of 75% government shareholding in Zamtel to Lap Green and the commission of inquiry into oil procurement under the Energy Regulation Board.
Dr Simbyakula told Parliament in a ministerial statement that the inquiry on the Mongu riots gobbled K5.5 billion, while the one on procurement of oil gobbled K4.7 billion with the one on the sale of Zamtel gobbling K2.2 billion.
He says President Edgar Lungu is currently studying the contents of the reports, and that later, Cabinet will consider the reports and that the appropriate follow up action will be determined thereafter.