Don’t force constitution down Zambians’ throats- Saki
By Mast Reporter
IF YOU force it down the throats of people, you will not get consensus, United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) chairperson Sakwiba Sikota has advised President Hakainde Hichilema over the proposed amendment of the constitution.
President Hichilema has repeatedly said that Zambians have agreed to have Constitutional amendments, and recently raised the eyebrows of Zambians with his claim that there is already a draft constitution which no single citizen has laid eyes on.
Speaking when he featured on KBN TV’s State of the Nation program on Thursday, Sikota argued that even Cabinet ministers, such as minister of information and media Cornelius Mweetwa does not agree that there is desire by Zambians to change the Constitution.
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“So, even in his own cabinet there is no consensus, how can you talk about consensus in the country? If you look at what has been going on, there hasn’t been a meeting that anybody can point at and say on this particular day, these people were called to talk about the Constitution, they met at this place and this is what they said they would do,” he said.
He added that if Mweetwa was lying, the President should fire him.
Sikota said randomly asking youths who have not seen the draft constitution if they want amendments to the Republican Constitution is taking people for granted.
“Really, that should not happen. A Constitution is a serious matter. It is not something that you do by acclamation at a rally. It shows total lack of respect for the Zambian people. That is something which again is very disappointing and frightening. It is disappointing and frightening in that, that is not how you amend the Constitution. The preamble of the Constitution reads, we the people of Zambia acknowledge the Supremacy of God Almighty,” he said. “It doesn’t say me Bally, it says we the people. So, he has no right at all to say he has got a draft that he has done. It is supposed to come from the people. The Constitution is very clear. And he must stop playing these games.”
Sikota shared concerns on how the President has begun the matter in question.
“I feel that even just the way he has begun it, it’s a nonstarter. Just the manner he has started, going out there, declaring that he has already got the draft, lying to the people of Zambia that he has consulted the youth, at that rally, you can’t call that consultation. Which meaningful consultation did he undertake with the youths? On which day? Which particular group of youths? What did he present to them and what did they say? Equally, with the women, which women did he call? When? Where? And what was discussed. You cannot make serious issues such as Constitutional amendment something based on untruths, it is untruth that there were these consultations,” he said. “I challenge him to tell us where those meetings were and with whom, and show us the minutes. As a nation, we should have, first of all, be open and honest. That is the first thing and not look at self interest in terms of what we want to put in the Constitution. We should do things in a manner where people should have a buy-in. That is what gives any Constitution legitimacy. If you force it down the throats of people, nearly pull it out of your back pocket and say this is the draft I have prepared, you will not get consensus. That Constitution will have no legitimacy.”
He added that throughout the country’s history, there has never been a president who has just come and just pushed through amendments to the Constitution.
“That is why we have always had Constitutional Review Commissions. Even powerful presidents like Kaunda, didn’t just come and say I have got this for you. There were Constitutional Review Commissions which went round the country,” he said.
