By Mubanga Mubanga
State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka has advised the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to ask the Ministry of Justice to name their members that President Hakainde Hichilema referred to when he said he had met and agreed with CSOs to amend the Constitution.
Last week, during a press briefing by 14 CSOs held at Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) offices in Lusaka, Women in Law and Development in Southern Africa (WILDAF) executive director Muzi Kamanga challenged President Hichilema to name the CSOs that he met and agreed with to amend the Constitution.
“And the challenge I can give to you members of the press, is to ask the President to name the members of civil society he met with and who agreed with him on the issues he raised,” Kamanga said. “I remember going for a meeting at the State House, was it last November, or December? Not as members of civil society, but as members of national gender machinery.”
But when contacted for comment, Hamasaka said the Ministry of Justice was better placed to answer the question Kamanga was raising.
“Listen, can you ask the Ministry of Justice? They are the ones handling that thing. Let us be a bit more …. Please ask the Ministry of Justice. The President is the Head of all ministries, if you want specific things ask the Ministry of Justice,” said Hamasaka.
The CSOs have argued that the Constitutional making process was being rushed, considering the fact that only 18 months were remaining before the country held the 2026 general elections.
Mitaba said the timeframe was little to deliver a comprehensive constitutional review process, and likened it to the one that was introduced by the PF under the Bill 10.
