Oasis Forum to defeat any attempt to extend term of office

Father Cleophas Lungu

The Oasis Forum has vowed if provoked, to defeat any attempt to extend the term of office for the president and other elected officials in a similar manner it played a major role in defeating the third bid by President Fredrick Chiluba in 2001.

In a statement, Oasis Forum Chairperson Fr.Cleophas Lungu says the fact that Mr Paul Moonga a senior member of the PF made the proposal to extend the term of office for the president and other elected leaders at a media briefing held at the PF Secretariat appears to suggest that his proposal has the backing of the PF party.

He says this is cause for serious concern as these moves threaten to usurp the power of the people of Zambia who only granted the PF Government a five-year mandate.

Fr. Lungu says the Forum hopes that the country’s leaders will pause, pray and reflect on any action that threatens to undermine democracy in the country.

He adds that the Oasis Forum is able to draw parallels between the concept of “State capture” in South Africa and the capture of citizens by the State in Zambia.

Fr Lungu says the Zambian form of “State capture” has manifested itself in the gradual shrinking of the space for independent media, decreased public confidence in the judiciary, increased police brutality and now the proposed extension of the presidential term of office from five years to seven years by Mr. Moonga.