Support Bill 10, MPs urged
CONSTITUTION Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 must be supported because it is crucial for the delimitation of constituencies to place, opposition political parties have demanded.
And Chairperson for the Select Committee Raphael Nakachinda said it was ridiculous to allege that some opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) have been bought to support Bill 10 when it comes for second reading on Thursday.
The four political parties are Robert Mwanza’s Citizens Democratic Party (CDP), Peter Chanda’s New Congress Party (NCP), Zambia Republican Party(ZRP) led by Wright Musoma and Cosmo Mumba’s New Revolutionary Party.
They said at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that Bill 10 must be supported.
CDP President, Danny Pule called on all Members of Parliament (MPs) to support Bill 10 when it comes up for second reading in Parliament.
Dr Pule said the delimitation process could best be prescribed in the Constitution as it was the Supreme Law of the land.
He said sentiments by some individuals that delimitation of constituencies could be done without passing Bill 10 were mere politicking.
Mr. Mwanza said the process of coming up with a new voter’s register should be supported because the current voters register had a number of deceased voters.
Meanwhile, Mr Musoma said Bill 10 should be supported by all well-meaning Zambians.
Mr Mumba called on some politicians to stop unjustifiable attacks on the judiciary, saying Zambia is governed on the principles of separation of powers.
Pastor Chanda called on politicians in the country to uphold the rule of law and to denounce political violence.
Meanwhile, Mr Nakachinda said: “That is the malice which has been instigated by the UPND against those who have not agreed with the stance their leader has taken.”
He said in an interview yesterday, that PF MPs, who were the majority, would apply themselves fully when the bill comes up for second reading.
Meanwhile, a consortium of civil society organisations has urged MPs to reject Bill 10 when it comes to parliament for the second reading this Thursday.
The consortium also accused Government of wanting to eliminate political competition in the country by way of using state institutions such as the police and ECZ among other institutions.