By Wiseman Tembo.
Lawyer and PF Media Director, Mr. Sunday Chanda, has charged that the UPND are dream killers because dreams of the differently abled, women and the youths were killed by them when they killed Bill 10.
Speaking when he featured on Radio Phoenix’s “Let The People Talk” radio program, Mr. Chanda wondered what the UPND were going to lose by supporting clauses that supported the women, youths and differently abled representation in Parliament.
Mr. Chanda repined at the denying of the women, youths and the differently abled self representation in Parliament because these people are not passive recipients of care.
When asked by the presenter why the PF cannot do what the UNIP Government did by finding a “Lazarus Tembo” (blind man) and nominate him as a Member of Parliament because UNIP and Kaunda proved it that you don’t need Bill 10 to have a differently abled person as a Member of Parliament. Mr. Chanda responded by saying that we can’t limit the representation of the differently abled persons in Parliament to a President’s discretion and perogative.
He further added that we needed to have safe seats (secured seats) for the differenty abled, women and the youths in Parliament because one day, we may have a President different from President Lungu who would not believe in women, youths and differently abled but having safe seats protects their rights.
During the program, an emotional and differently abled lady by the name of Julien called in and lamented the killing of Bill 10. She said the Constitution being the supreme law of the land, ought to have in it rights of the differently abled strongly and firmly laid down. Her dreams were killed, one could get the disappointment in her soft voice. She concluded by saying “we now know who values us (the differently abled persons) and who doesn’t.”
“Lack of political maturity is what made the UPND to kill the dreams of the marginalised,” Mr.Chanda said. The UPND MPs are paid to make and amend laws, they are wasting tax payers’ money by shunning their duties. No Consititution is perfect and cast in stone. If we had a perfect Constitution, we wouldn’t need MPs, he added.
Delimitation is another important and progressive proposal the UPND killed.
“The size of some Constituencies in our country is just too vast. For instance, the people of Bweengwa and Dundumwezi have been denied delimitation thanks to the UPND,” said the PF Media Director.
Further, Mr. Chanda said that the PF Government and President Lungu have proved it that they are the only ones who care for the marginalised in society. This is why they have; a female vice President, more numbers of female MPs in the house, more youthful MPs in the house and also have differently abled persons as MPs in Hon. Sabastian Kopulande and Hon. Nickson Chilangwa.
In concluding, Mr. Sunday Chanda advised the opposition to emulate the PF and President Lungu and desist from being dream killers because of partisan politics.
About The Author: Mr. Wiseman Tembo is a Social and Economic Issues Analyst. You can reach Wiseman Tembo via WhatsApp on +260 972415342.
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