Human Rights Commissioner Laura Miti is wondering what has changed in President Hakainde Hichilema’s mind over his previously held position that Parliament could not be allowed to create itself, with his determined push now to have limitless number of nominated members of parliament.
Disecting the real intentions behind the determined push by President Hichilema and the UPND to push through with the constitutional amendments despite not having consensus, Miti figured that Hichilema wanted to mutilate the constitution so that he could change it at will with the limitless number of nominated members of Parliament he wanted to give himself.
“I have just finished reading Minister Kasune’s statement to Parliament, on the proposed constitutional amendments. Ehh, people! I found the reason government is amending the constitution. No, it’s not women, youth or delimitation – never did think it was, but hey,” Miti argued. “It’s one change, hiding innocuously in the fufu veve. The Queen bee, in a busy hive full of worker bees. All there to keep her safe. It’s Number 7, in the statement. Increase in the Number of Nominated Members
“It reads: The Constitution under Article 68(2) B) provides that there shall be not more than 8 nominated Members of Parliament. Here is the Queen Bee: It is proposed that Article 68(2) (B) be amended so as to increase the number – now the poison – TO A NUMBER THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED BY AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT. Hau, President Hichilema
!”
She stated that she granted it to Hichilema, because his team was cleverer than the PF, who she said went overboard with mad clauses until even a blind man could see them.
“You have gone with just one killer one, that you hope people will not see. Of course you have added a few iffy proposals, to keep people distracted from the one clause that is equal to the whole Bill 10,” Miti observed. “Look Zambians, if just this amendment passes, the President and the ruling party are untouchable. You see, exactly like Bill 10 tried to, the UPND is trying to give itself a limitless number of MPs that can be increased at any time, by a simple majority vote.”
She stated that it would not matter if in the next elections, the ruling party lost a lot of seats, because all they would need was just a small majority if they managed to mutilate the constitution.
“Then, it can, by an Act of Parliament, provide for the President to nominate enough MPs to give him 2/3 majority. After that, it’s curtains. The Constitution is theirs. They can amend, at leisure, the real clauses they want to. Hau, Hau, Hau
!” argued Miti. “President Hichilema, this is beyond wrong. It’s dictatorial. It’s against the idea of a constitution which fully creates all important institutions. Remember how we kept saying under Bill 10, that Parliament cannot be allowed to create itself. What has changed?? No! Stop yourself, Sir!”
