Let electorate support Bill 10 - Chief Luchembe

OPPOSITION Members of Parliament must be reasonable and set aside their selfish interests so that they support what their electorates want in Bill 10, chief Luchembe of Mpika district has said.

The traditional leader said the electorates had seen that the bill had progressive clauses that could play a critical role in the governance of the nation and hence need for them to bow down to their wants because they were the ones who took them to Parliament.

Chief Luchembe said in an interview yesterday, when Parliament resumed, the opposition MPs should stop the childish tendency of walking out whenever the bill was presented in Parliament.

The electorate votes for them so that they can represent them and it is important that they serve them accordingly by supporting their wants, the traditional leader said.

“Truly Bill 10 has progressive clauses and I think many people have to appreciate the contents in it. For those who are rejecting can they come out and point out which clauses which are not progressive instead of the lies they have continued peddling about this progressive piece of legislature.

“When we are participating some of these debates across the country, let’s be faithful to each other and to ourselves particularly. We should be thinking about what kind of legacy we need to leave behind, when time comes what will people talk about me when am gone about what have done to enhance their lives especially on execution of duties I was given to perform.

“I think people who are in Parliament today must stop being unreasonable and start doing things that will benefit the people. They should sincerely have introspection in themselves and answer the Lords by saying am doing the right thing,” chief Luchembe said.

And former Minister of Defence Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba said it was important for Parliamentarians to support Bill 10 because it had clauses that would play a pivotal role in the welfare of the country and that of the Zambians. Mr Mwamba who is Patriotic Front (PF) Vice Chairperson for Mobilisation, said there was a lot of important clauses in Bill and those opposing it were just looking at some few clauses which the select committee had removed.

The former UPND vice president for administration, said the opposition UPND must be reasonable for once and able to support things which could change wellbeing of many.