Zambia: New constitution begins

LUSAKA – The Zambian government announced yesterday that preparations for a national referendum to pass a new democratic constitution had finally begun but warned that the process would be tedious.

Justice Minister George Kunda said a census to determine the number of voters entitled to take part in the referendum on the new constitution would start immediately ahead of the nationwide polls. “With immediate effect, the sample census required for determination of persons to vote in the intended referendum shall commence,” said Kunda.The process will be very costly and long even though the parliament has passed a budget line for the adoption of the new constitution expected to grant greater freedoms to citizens and reduce presidential powers, he said.”Before the elections (last year), we forewarned the people of Zambia that the process of enacting a new constitution will be tedious,” said Kunda.The dates for voting in the referendum have not been announced.The government announcement comes barely a week after the main opposition and civic groups planned to stage nationwide demonstrations to press for a new constitution, which government said was not a priority.Political tension has been rising in the country following government’s perceived reluctance to pass a new constitution, which will also provide for the independence of the judiciary.Zambia’s constitution, which has been roundly believed to be defective, was written and imposed on Zambians at independence in 1964 by the former colonial master, Britain.The constitutional text has gone through three major amendments but most Zambians want a home-grown supreme law, written and passed by the people through a referendum.Nampa-AFP”With immediate effect, the sample census required for determination of persons to vote in the intended referendum shall commence,” said Kunda.The process will be very costly and long even though the parliament has passed a budget line for the adoption of the new constitution expected to grant greater freedoms to citizens and reduce presidential powers, he said.”Before the elections (last year), we forewarned the people of Zambia that the process of enacting a new constitution will be tedious,” said Kunda.The dates for voting in the referendum have not been announced.The government announcement comes barely a week after the main opposition and civic groups planned to stage nationwide demonstrations to press for a new constitution, which government said was not a priority.Political tension has been rising in the country following government’s perceived reluctance to pass a new constitution, which will also provide for the independence of the judiciary.Zambia’s constitution, which has been roundly believed to be defective, was written and imposed on Zambians at independence in 1964 by the former colonial master, Britain.The constitutional text has gone through three major amendments but most Zambians want a home-grown supreme law, written and passed by the people through a referendum.Nampa-AFP