UPND’S AGENDA TO CHANGE CONSTITUTION USING ECZ
….they want to remove 50 plus one and the Running Mate clauses, claims SP Copperbelt Provincial Chairperson
Ndola…. Monday October 21, 2024
The Socialist Party (SP) on the Copperbelt has accused the UPND government of wanting to change the Republican Constitution using the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
Socialist Party Copperbelt Provincial Chairperson Dr. Brian Chirambo has alleged that the UPND wants to remove the 50 plus one and Running Mate clauses from the Constitution.
Dr. Chirambo says the establishment of the Electoral Reform Technical Committee is a sham meant to serve the interests of the UPND and not Zambians.
He said the UPND wants to bring the simple majority in the Constitution for them to remain in office beyond 2026.
“The establishment of the Electoral Reform Technical Committee is a sham and we think it’s an illegal process. It’s a process that does not serve the interests of the Zambians. Our experience when we went to make our submissions at the Electoral Reform Technical Committee here in Ndola demonstrated that the ECZ is being used as a tool to open constitutional amendments,” he told journalists on the Copperbelt on Saturday.
“There is no real issue that they want to change in the Constitution, but what they want to do is to open a process of changing the Constitution of the land. Our experience there at the Committee further demonstrated our fears that what they want to do is to deal with the 50 plus one and Running Mate.
“This issue is being driven by those individuals with an interest of the UPND and not the interests of the majority Zambians. As Socialist Party on the Copperbelt, we are on firm belief that the UPND wants to remove the 50 plus one in order to have a simple majority. They also want to remove the Running Mate so that they choose their own Republican Vice President.”
Dr. Chirambo claimed that the ECZ is not the right institution to champion the Constitution Reforms.
Meanwhile, Dr Chirambo castigated the UPND government for increasing electricity tariffs saying this will result in high production costs which will affect the consumers.
“The challenge we have is huge. If you read how they have structured the increment, they are doing what we call ‘sugar coating’ on the people of Zambia. They have increased for the commercial consumers such bakeries and other producers of goods and they are saying they have reduced for residential consumers who use less than 200 units per month. They are crocked! The cost of doing business is going up and the cost of living will also go up as the producers will pass on the cost on the consumers.”
Follow Dr. Chirambo’s interview on: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/UHbaJTCicssRFcAM/
Speculation and guess work.
This is a speculative statement that is not supported by facts. Please lets deal with facts. If the ECZ is doing something wrong go to the authorities that supervises them, report what they are doing wrong supported by facts and how they have veered from the law.
This notion of rushing to the Press doesnt serve anyone, its just aimed to mislead by throwing unsubstaniated statements out there.