MacDonald Chipenzi
EXCITEMENT OVER MMPR AND THE REALITY: A CHASE AFTER A WHIRLWIND
I have noted unresearched excitement from Minister of Justice, Given Lubinda, Zambia Agency of Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) and other youths and women groups on Mixed Member Proportion Representation (MMPR) electoral system contained in Bill 10.
I will not delve into the origins of this electoral system and what it was aimed at curing but just focus on the arguments advanced by some commentators on this issue.
First is to state that our legal framework already does provide some kind of MMPR as explained in my earlier article entitled “DECEIT BEHIND MMPR” but the challenge has been execution.
Two Constitutional Articles come to mind which are instructive on this issue namely Article 69 (1) which states
“The President may nominate a person…where the President considers it necessary to enhance the Representation of special interests, Skills or Gender in the National Assembly”.
Article 259 (1)(b) and (c) guides further that ” where a person is empowered to make nomination or an appointment to a public office, that person SHALL ensure;-
b) that fifty percent of each gender is nominated or appointed from the total available positions…”
c) equitable representation of the youth and persons with disabilities, where these qualify for nomination or appointment”.
Now, let us list and examine those eight (8) President EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU nominated as Members of Parliament by looking at their Gender, youthfullness, special interests or skills as obtained at Parliament.
Out of the 8, majority are men and only two are women (Gender) namely Joyce Nonde Simukoko and Rev Godfridah Sumaili.
BOTH are not youth but women above 50 years old with no special skills at all.
Ms Simukoko has a Diploma qualification in Workers’ Education and Accounts while Rev Sumaili has Master in Business Administration perhaps in divinity/theology also though this is not on parliament website.
The rest of the nominees ‘re able bodied men above 50 years with no special skills namely, Davies Chama with a Dip. In Agriculture, Richard Kapita with Dip and Master in Business Administration and a Cert. In marketing while Nathaniel Mubukwanu only has a B.A in Development Studies.
Other Nominees are Edify Hamukale with PHD in Agriculture, Dr Bwalya Ng’andu with PHD in Economist while Raphael Nakacinda has no qualification reflected on the parliamentary website.
Does it mean that the above qualifications are absent in all PF elected MPs for the President to have outsourced and overlooked the demands of the Constitution? The answer is a categorical no!
From the above trend of nominations by President LUNGU, did it mean that no-one under 35 year old or a person with disabilities had special skills or qualifications to be considered for nominations the entire Zambia?
Among persons with disabilities, i know “Prof” Elijah Ngwale, Mr Wamunyima (WAWA), Sera Brotherton among others who qualify to be nominated but were conveniently ignored.
So, the argument being advanced by Pro Bill 10 that the proposed MMPR electoral system will enhance youth, women and persons with disabilities representation in the National Assembly once Bill 10 passes is as fake and cosmetic as the CURRENT realities.
Don’t be deceived. The interest is their desire to stay on in office until election day and have access to public resources and facilities fro campaigns while others want to make a grand entry into the Cabinet.
I submit!
Ndime McDonald CHIPENZI