Africa-Press – Zambia. HIGHLIGHTS from the press briefing held by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, MP today.
✅️ The Chief Government Spokesperson has dismissed assertions suggesting that the contents of the constitution of Zambia amendment Bill No. 7 are identical to those of Bill No. 10 of 2019, insisting that such claims are misleading and intended to create unnecessary public alarm.
✅️ Explained that the previous Bill No. 10 contained several provisions which the UPND and civil society objected to at the time because they were considered unconstitutional and potentially undermining democratic governance, especially the role of the opposition.
✅️ Challenged critics to present evidence showing that Bill No. 7 replicates provisions that Parliament previously rejected in 2021, noting that several of the proposals contained in Bill No. 10 were defeated in the National Assembly and never became law.
✅️ Urged citizens to read the Bill for themselves instead of relying on what he described as propaganda aimed at distorting a matter of national importance.
✅️ Added that several issues contained in Bill No. 7 had previously been subjected to wide consultations and were already agreed upon by stakeholders to require amendment.
✅️ Clarified that the former Constitution Amendment Bill No. 10 of 2019 sought to introduce changes to the governance of the House of Chiefs and the process of parliamentary oversight on national debt.
✅️ Explained that the Bill had proposed to amend Article 169(4) to allow Chiefs to openly elect the Chairperson of the House of Chiefs. This was contrary to the existing constitutional provision which stipulates that the position must rotate among provinces, with traditional leaders from the respective province selecting the Chairperson.
✅️ Outlined that Bill No. 10 had proposed another controversial amendment to Article 63(2) which would have removed the requirement for the National Assembly to ratify loans contracted by Government on behalf of the people of Zambia.
✅️ Under the proposed changes, approval authority would have rested solely with the Executive.
✅️ He emphasised that these provisions were among the major reasons Bill No. 10 was strongly opposed.
✅️ Meanwhile, the Minister disclosed that the Parliamentary Select Committee mandated to receive submissions from stakeholders is making steady progress, with a number of citizens, organisations and institutions already appearing before it.
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