Posts Tagged ‘SACCORD’

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MMD GOVERNMENT STAND ON 50%+1 IRKS CIVIC BODY

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

BY ZAMBIA NEWS FEATURES CORRESPONDENT

The Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says it is saddened by the decision of the MMD government to disregard the wishes and aspirations of the Zambian people over the constitution making process by rejecting key citizens’ demands such as the 50% plus one vote electoral formula.

“We are particularly disappointed that the government wants to use fake justifications for their decision not to allow the country use the 50% plus one vote system during the 2011 elections for a presidential candidate.

“The decision by the government is clearly aimed at keeping the MMD in power beyond the 2011 elections which we find dishonest, manipulative and an attempt to pre determine the outcome of the 2011 presidential elections,” says the organisation’s Communications Officer Obby Chibuluma.

The Civic Body explains iot strongly believes that the MMD wants to stay in power using underhand methods adding that  “Zambians must know them for whom they are following their decision over the 50% plus one vote formula.”

The MMD must know that the people of Zambia, in seeking the use of a majoritarian system wanted to prevent conflicts that have always arisen as a result of the way leaders have been elected into office since 1996.

The reasons advanced by the government over the 50% plus one vote formula cannot convince anyone and those in power must know that the people of Zambia know that the MMD is scared of losing the next elections and they want to employ underhand tactics to remain in power.

The same government, says Chibuluma, has hijacked the people’s constitution making process by firstly making it composed of loyalist of the MMD government and secondly by sending some of the clauses to a referendum which they knew that they would not hold before the 2011 elections. The actions of the government amount to deception and trickery.

“We believe that this government has not been honest over the constitution making process. We also believe that those in government are too desperate to retain power and have decided to use trickery in order to remain in power. This is the record level of manipulation of dishonesty on the part of this government,” he says.

SACCORD would like to tell the MMD that if they are to remain relevant to the people of Zambia, they need to ensure that they do the right things by ensuring that they respect the people of Zambia.

They must also begin to run an honest and transparent government. We also would like to let them know that Zambians fully understand their schemes to remain in power.

Zambians, the organisation says, also know that this government has never believed in genuine constitutional and electoral reforms. They also know that this government has people who are too desperate to remain in power and will do anything to maintain the power even through stealing and hijacking the people’s processes.

The people of Zambia fully supported the 50% plus one vote during the electoral reforms technical committee, Mung’omba Constitutional review Commission and the not so popular National Constitutional Conference hearings. We find it very strange that this government can have the audacity to disregard Zambians in this manner.

“This is the highest contempt against the people of Zambia this government has committed. Most of our people aspire for a conflict free post-election environment and viewed a popularly elected president as the only guarantee for this.” says Chibuluma.

SACCORD would like to call upon the people of Zambia to continue fighting for a genuinely people-driven constitution and ensure that those who chose to disrespect the wishes and aspirations of the Zambian people are made to pay for their dishonest. The leaders in government must be made to know that dishonest over public affairs will not go unpunished.

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A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL GAVE OUT MONEY BEFORE LUENA BY-ELECTION

Friday, August 13th, 2010

By ZAMBIA NEWS FEATURES CORRESPONDENT

A SENIOR government official in Western Province allegedly gave money to some traditional leaders in Luena Constituency in the run up to the August 5 by-election in which a named political party also distributed cash, foodstuffs, torches and other merchandise to would be voters, election monitoring groups have charged.

The elections monitoring groups, Anti-Voter Apathy (AVAP), Caritas Zambia and Southern African Centre for Construction Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) in a joint statement Friday, urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to put in place stronger measures of how to curb such malpractices when it reviews the Electoral Code of Conduct.

The other by-election took place in Ndola’s Chifubu Constituency.

Although the three groups said generally, the campaigns in the two constituencies were conducted peacefully, there were few reports of serious incidents of violence and name calling among the participating candidates and political parties.

They noted an incident in Limulunga, Mongu, in which a named son of the ruling MMD candidate drove into a crowd of UPND supporters when their leader, Hakainde Hichilema arrived in the area, an act which would have led to serious injury to a number of people.

The three groups also noted an incidence in Chifubu where the Vice President, George Kunda’s motorcade was intercepted and forced to divert its route on the way to a rally by some suspected PF supporters.

The three groups which appealed to Zambians to observe peaceful and dignified conduct at all times, regardless of political affiliation said this clash could have been avoided had police planned well in advance and used an alternative route for the Vice President instead of the one where the PF was.

The civil society condemned the tendency by political parties to ferry political campaigners from nearby constituencies and towns during by elections which was witnessed in both Luena and Chifubu Constituencies.

“We still emphasize our earlier proposal that political parties use local party functionaries in campaigning and mobilizing voters. This requires a lot of effort among political parties and stake holders to build capacity of the local people to manage election campaigns peacefully in their own areas,” the statement said.

The groups urged the ECZ and the police not to allow political party cadres and their representatives to celebrate inside the collation centre even before the totaling and declaration of the final results were done.

“This can cause anarchy and confusion in cases where an error and miscalculation is made and their preferred candidate does not turn out to be the final winner. In future, it would be prudent for the Police and the ECZ to ensure that celebrations are done outside the collation centres and after the announcement of the final results,” the statement said.

The two by-elections were held following the death of incumbent Member of Parliament for Chifubu, Benson Bwalya Mwamba and the resignation of the Luena sitting independent Member of Parliament Charles Milupi, who formed a new political party called the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD).

In Chifubu, the MMD fielded Frank Ng’ambi, the Patriotic Front (PF), was represented by Susan Kawandami who eventually won while the United National Independence Party (UNIP) fielded Poko Mambwe, and the Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD) fielded Mr. Brian Banda

In Luena Constituency, the MMD was represented by Mwangala, the ADD was represented by Charles Milupi who reclaimed the seat, while the UPND was represented by Muyunda Illilonga, ULP was represented by Musole Sikatala, and UNIP was represented by Mutakela Mutakela.

(Edited by Gershom Ndhlovu. Contact us on editor@zambianewsfeatures.com)

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NGOs ASK HOW NCC WILL RECONCILE ITS REPORT AND PEOPLE’S SUBMISSIONS

Friday, June 25th, 2010

By ZAMBIA NEWS CORRESPONDENTS

ZAMBIA’S various civil society organizations (CSOs) have questioned how the National Constitution Conference (NCC) will reconcile its recommendations in the draft constitution and what people and institutions will say in the 40 day consultation process.

Nine CSOs, among them the Southern African Centre for Conflict Resolution and Development (SACCORD), Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) and the Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Committee (NGOCC), citing the proposed minimum degree requirement, asked in a joint statement Friday evening how the NCC would deal with the issue if the majority of people canvassed for its removal.

“For instance, the NCC, in their draft constitution has proposed a minimum degree qualification for a prospective presidential candidate; assuming that the majority of the people and institutions (more than the numbers at the NCC) canvass for removal of this article – how will NCC handle this development?

Chifumu Banda

Chifumu Banda: NCC chairperson

“It is important that the process of reviewing and integrating the proposals from the public is made clear from the onset so that this does not turn out into an academic exercise where people take time to read the document and suggest changes and yet the NCC and Government remains adamant on what they would like to see in the final document,” the statement said.

The CSOs criticized the NCC for its apparent lack of preparedness for the launch of the consultation exercise which could be illustrated by the fact that it took place at the time when Government Printers was still printing copies of the documents and all the websites that were mentioned had not uploaded the document for access by the public.

They also cited the issue of translation which has not yet decided expressing worry that this would eat into the 40 days allocated to the consultative process.

“These are basic logistics which should have been put in place before the launch – and if people cannot yet access these documents – what was NCC launching?” the CSOs asked.

The CSOs charged that the NCC Chairperson should have taken advantage of the launch of the draft constitution, to equally avail to the public a programme of how the NCC was going to facilitate public engagement in this process such as organizing public meetings, where and when.

“The question which still lingers is how will communities in the rural and remote areas participate in this process? Is the NCC in discussion with Churches, NGOs or other stakeholders working in these areas to reach out to these communities? Related to the above, it is necessary that NCC indicates how many copies of the draft constitution and reports will be or have been sent to each district and how the people can access these copies,” the statement said.

The CSO said it was necessary for Government to present a full roadmap as to what would happen after 31 August 2010 and that there should be a sense of forward planning on the part of Government.

They said that it was important for government to ensure that this process did not stall after August 2010 but reached its logical conclusion and suggested that Government should consider appointing a Referendum Commission which should start working out modalities for a referendum as soon as possible.

“Such a step will be a sign that Government really means well and that a new constitution is a possibility before the next elections,” the CSO said.

Apart from SACCORD, JCTR and NGOCC, other CSOs that signed the document are Caritas Zambia, Transparency International Zambia, Citizens Forum, Centre for Trade Policy Development, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction and Zambia Council for Social Development.

Meanwhile, Mufulira Municipal Council Town Clerk, Charles Mwandila who is also district electoral officer has said that while voter registration in the district is going on well people are complaining about the K20,000 fee that is being  charged for the police report for lost voters’ cards.

“That charge is meant to ensure that people do not just go to get reports anyhow, that is the cost for the stationery,” Mwandila was quoted as saying.

(Edited by Gershom Ndhlovu. Contact us at: editor@zambianewsfeatures.com)

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