EASTERN CHIEFS DELAY CONSTITUTION SUBMISSIONS PENDING CONSULTATIONS AS CARITAS OPTS OUT OF THE PROCESS
Chiefs in Eastern Province have postponed their submissions on the ongoing Constitution Amendment process to an unspecified date saying they need more time to consult Paramount Chiefs and other senior traditional leaders.
The Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendments yesterday began receiving submissions in Chipata.
Speaking to the media after a closed-door meeting between traditional leaders and the Committee, Eastern Province Council of Chiefs Chairperson Chief Mnukwa said the chiefs have neither accepted nor rejected any of the proposed amendments.
He explains that the traditional leadership in the province believes consultations must first be made with principal chiefs before any official position is submitted adding that the views of Paramount Chiefs and other senior chiefs will be key in shaping their final stance.
Meanwhile, Eastern Province Council of Churches in Zambia Chairperson, Reverend Sonye Banda says the current consultation process lacks credibility arguing that it should have begun from the lowest governance structures to ensure grassroots participation.
Rev. Banda further states that the amendment process should be deferred until after the 2026 General Election to allow the public to fully understand the changes being proposed.
He also stressed the need to scrutinize provisions that could allow Members of Parliament to remain in office beyond two terms.
And some citizens who made submissions echoed similar sentiments, calling for the postponement of the exercise.
They have urged the suspension of the process and instead focus on preparations for the 2026 elections as many of the province’s over 2-million residents are not aware of the consultations despite their input being vital.
By KBN TV Reporter in Chipata
KBN TV
This Constitutional Amendment Process is a sham. It’s a still Born Process..and a total joke. Hakainde should stop treating Zambians like Kids, or Imbeciles.
Yesterday this so called Technical Committee was with Chiefs. They expected the Chiefs to straight away give submissions on the Terms of Reference they have just seen !
That’s not the way traditional Leaders operate. The Traditional councils need to sit and deliberate, and only then can they come up with a position..And Traditional Leaders are many in Eastern Province. They are not just in Chipata. There are Ngoni, Chewa , Tumbuka, Nsenga Chiefs in eastern Province spread all over from Chipata to Chama..And you see Paramount Chief Mpezeni for a few minutes and you think you have consulted Chiefs???
And then today you receive submissions from the public, and tomorrow the exercise is over in the Four Provinces! How can one classify this ? It cannot be far from Public Nuis*nce.
Hakainde and his Technical Committee are just embarrassing themselves. What a joke!
This amendment will proceed. Align with it