Constitution under attack, warns Mukandila
By Tony Nkhoma
LUSAKA lawyer Celestine Mukandila has accused President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) government of “raping the Constitution” through what he calls an illegal amendment process designed to secure political advantage ahead of next year’s general election.
Mukandila warns that the ongoing constitutional review is a predetermined scheme meant to entrench dictatorship and silence public consent.
In an interview with The Mast yesterday, Mukandila described the process in play as constitutional delinquency aimed at arming dictators.
“President Hichilema and the UPND are constitutional delinquents. They should be advised that what they are doing is totally illegal, it is raping the Constitution. That Technical Committee amending the constitution is operating illegally and its goal is predetermined,” he said.
Mukandila said a level-headed society refused to attend an illegal assembly because its outcome would be illegal.
Mukandila said Zambians had spoken and made their position known on the matter, wondering why a few selfish individuals were still pushing for the amendments.
He said straying away from constituting the Technical Committee under the Inquiries Act was a total abuse of executive functions.
“They do not function using the Inquiries Act, but they are operating as special duties. These guys are executing executive functions, which is illegal; one day someone will have to answer for this abuse, even those partaking in this kind of illegality will be made to account for their behaviour,” he said.
Mukandila observed that the illegal committee was now panicking, rushing submissions after realizsng that they had run out of time.
He warned that the current process was an illegality-promoting lawlessness.
“You cannot attend an unlawful process, meaning you become part of the illegality. Even what comes out of it is illegal. Their appointment is illegal, and the Constitutional Court has already ruled on that matter. So those daring the law will one day be made to account for their actions,” he said.
Mukandila said a constitutional amendment cannot be rushed to serve someone’s political agenda at the expense of national unity and values.
“They were supposed to undertake a complete consultative process. The Constitutional Court provided guidance on the more inclusive process, which they have totally ignored, breaching the court process. What they have is a pre-conceived determination of the Constitutional amendments which suits their personal and political survival,” Mukandila said.
