Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Government has ruled out discontinuing the ongoing consultations on whether Zambia should leave or maintain its membership to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Justice Minister Given Lubinda says the consultations will go on despite advice from the Civil Society Constitution Agenda to discontinue the process in view of President Edgar Lungu’s position on the matter, and the general view of the people of Zambia that Zambia maintains its ICC membership.
Mr. Lubinda is shocked and saddened that some civil society organizations want to curtail the process of citizens being involved in the governance process of their Country.
He has wondered how the civil society organizations could have known that people want Zambia to remain a member of the ICC without consulting them first.
In an interview, Mr. Lubinda has told QTV News that government does not in fact think it would make sense to discontinue the consultations when it’s half way in the process of getting people’s views.
He says he’s personally happy that the majority of Zambians want to take part in the governance process and have since seized the opportunity to be heard by making submissions.
Mr Lubinda states that government has in this case also been vindicated that it has no pre-determined position on whether Zambia should leave or maintain its membership to the ICC.