CHAPTER One Foundation executive director Linda Kasonde has called for consensus building on the Constitution amendment process.
She told’s Kabwe’s KNC radio on Friday that consensus building was important in any Constitution making process.
She explained that for a Republican Constitution to meet the benchmark and principle of acceptability, it should have consensus from the general citizenry.
Kasonde pointed out that the current Amendment Bill No 10 of 2019 lacked consensus; thus not meeting the benchmark of acceptability.
“This Constitution amendment process that has culminated into the infamous Bill 10 lacked consensus from inception. It does not meet the principle of acceptability among the general citizenry. We needed consensus building on the Constitution amendment process so that the final document will be a legitimate one,” Kasonde said.
The former Law Association of Zambia president also said that the proposed “contraction of the country’s debt without Parliament approval and the re-introduction of positions of deputy ministers were among the retrogressive clauses contained in the Amendment Bill 10,” which she said had been rejected by majority citizens.
Kasonde emphasised that the Constitution amendment process that was embarked on by the PF government was illegitimate because it lacked consensus.
She further charged that the desperation being exhibited by individuals that were pushing the Constitution amendment agenda was “enough confirmation that some individuals in the political sphere had some ill-motives intended to serve personal interests.”
“And we are wondering why the rush. Why the hasty? They have opted to desperately and hastily table this Bill 10 in Parliament because they want to serve and protect personal interests and not the interests of majority Zambian citizens,” she added.
Kasonde also urged members of parliament to appeal to their conscious and do the right thing over Bill 10 and leave a good legacy when they leave political life.