YALI Speaks out on Amendments to Constitution Amendment Bill

YALI President Andrew Nthewewe

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) says government should not proceed with the amendment to the presidential running clause to give power to the President to fire the elected Vice President.

In a statement to QFM News today, YALI President Andrew Nthewewe says he is cognizant that that the Ministry of Justice Dr. Ngosa Simbyakula and Kasempa Member of Parliament Kabinga Pande are moving parliament to the amendments to Constitution of Zambia Bill No. 17 of 2015 which will include removal of key provisions of the Bill such as discarding Provincial Assemblies, the mixed Member proportional system, appointment of Cabinet outside Parliament and appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries.

Mr. Nthewewe says instead of Government discarding the mixed member proportional representation system and provincial assemblies based on the argument of costs, these clauses must be retained with a proviso for deferment in their implementation.

He says government must never use the cost argument and the current economic challenges Zambia is facing as a scapegoat as these challenges are not here to stay.

Mr. Nthewewe has since appealed to the conscience and persona of Members of Parliament from both the ruling party and the opposition to put the interests of the Zambian people first and recognize that these provisions were designed to live way beyond them.