Nevers Calls Hijack Claims Tantamount to “Stupid Idiot” Label MMD president Nevers Mumba says remarks by President Michael Sata that the constitution process had been hijacked the same as referring to advocates as “stupid idiots.” During a press briefing this morning, Mumba said President Sata should honour his pledge to the voters instead of resorting to threats. “The MMD applauds the stance taken by the consortium of Civil Society and opposition political parties towards the demand that the draft constitution submitted to the Government be immediately released to the general public. “We will stand in support of the Oasis Forum in their quest to take this message of demands to all the corners of the republic. “We, the MMD, wish to encourage the civil society and the Oasis forum not to be intimidate by a government that has become hostile towards a people they promised a constitution. “We wish to remind the people of Zambia that the MMD, under Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, may his soul rest in peace, was compelled and forced by civil society to enact an NCC bill so as to protect the process and prevent government from producing a white paper. “If fact, the process of constitution making, failed partly because the PF took a hard line, in their support of the stance taken by the Catholic Church at the time. Subsequently, this led to the expelling of 22 of their members. “It is treachery of the worst kind for the President to now indicate that there is no constitutional crisis and that the document will not be released unless it goes to the Cabinet. This is a betrayal to all those who believed that President Sata would indeed deliver a people driven constitution. “Hence, we demand for the immediate release of the draft constitution, a clear legal protection of the process and a Referendum Technical Committee to be established forthwith. We totally reject the concern expressed by the secretary to Cabinet about referendum expenditures affecting the budget process. “How is it that by-elections are being held every other day? We demand for a referendum by September and a new people driven constitution by October 2014,” he said. Below is the full statement PRESS STATEMENT BY DR MUMBA- PRESIDENT OF THE MOVEMENT OF MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY. JANUARY 20TH 2014 Members of the Press National Executive Committee Members (NEC) present Distinguished Invited Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Good morning and I wish you all a blessed and prosperous new year. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, today I wish to address four issues of national importance for which our voice as MMD is required to be clearly heard. These are in respect to the constitutional making process, the Plan by the Government to revive the Zambia Industrial Development Cooperation (INDECO), the Winter Kabimba Tribunal, which is sitting as I speak, and lastly, the call by some opposition political parties that there should be unity of purpose and an agreement to some common working arrangements. I will be very brief on all the five issues and make only statements of Principles and in some cases demands on behalf of the people of Zambia. However, a lot more will be said and done about these things between the next two (2) to nine (9) months. Let me explain further before I make these brief pronouncements and demands on the above four issues. 2014 as a year of Three Millstones Speaking on behalf of the MMD and in representing the entire electorate, it is the firm belief of the MMD that all the above issues are important issues, which we demand must be addressed in this Jubilee year of 2014. In this year, which we have just begun, there are three major millstones which will be reached. We all need to take heed of these millstones. This is a Jubilee year in which our country will have been independent for Fifty years or half of a century. This is an important millstone which should force all of us to reflect upon our successes as well as our failures as a country. We should not over indulge in our successes at the expense of learning from the mistakes we have made, while at the same time, we should be overzealously loud by over embracing our failures at the expense of acknowledging some of the wonderful achievements are have made. Achievements such as the building of ‘One Zambia One Nation’, out of a collection of so many tribal groupings. As a nation, we all should be proud of the many achievements that were brought about by our founding fathers led by the United National Independence Party (UNIP) and Dr Kenneth Kaunda. For the things that were not done well or those that were left undone, it was the collective effort of virtually the entire Zambian people who worked towards change and asked the MMD to improve upon our circumstances as a country. The MMD is very proud of many of the achievements we were able to add upon the foundation that UNIP left. We moved this country forward in ways that could not have been foreseen in 1991. Both in terms of democracy and more so in terms of moving our economy further towards sustained economic growth and development. We acknowledge that we also had some failures, made some terrible mistakes and left some things undone and uncompleted. This is obvious for all to see and is the reason why the Zambian people asked us to step aside so that another group of people can correct some of the mistakes we had made and complete some of the projects, both in terms of governance and infrastructure that we did not complete. In fact it was on this platform of improving upon the constitution making process, upping the fight against corrupt and abuse of office, that a new government was elected. Consolidating democracy through expanding citizens’ freedoms to assemble, speak and pursue greater economic opportunities in order for the poor and underprivileged to expand their economic choices was yet another reason for electing the PF’ Ladies and Gentlemen: This was the platform of the PF. These cast in concrete promises were able to convince the great majority of the young and unemployed, civil society, the media and the urban disposed, the NGOs and the Churches, all who rallied to support the cause of the PF in the hope that they would improve upon the issues the MMD seemed reluctant to complete. One even got the impression that even our cooperating partners were quietly, and sometimes a little louder, working towards the PF getting into government. It was believed, not hoped, believed that the PF would leave up to the expectations of all these various groups and improve upon the governance issues as well as our standard of living. Granted, by word of mouth, and though their Manifesto, the PF rose to the occasion and undertook to do many of these things in 90 days. The simple ones, they said, a people driven constitution by way of referendum, the enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill, the abolishing of the Public order Act, etc, would become a reality within 90 days. Today, when we ask about these promises, ask for accountability and deliverance, we are being called dubious hijackers who are of ill intent. This is an incredible statement of accusation coming from State House. I think it would be fair to suggest that this is synonymous to being called “Stupid idiots.” Ladies and Gentlemen, I have talked about the independence millstone for which we will all ever sing praises for our beloved Dr Kaunda. The other two millstones of this year are both in relation to accessing the record of the PF administration towards delivering their promises and as a comparison to Rupiah Banda’s MMD administration. On the 23rd of Mach 2014, two months away from to day, the PF would have completed 30 months out of the 60 months in government that they are entitled to; by our five year electoral cycle. They will have reached their Mid-Term, the half way point and a time of making available their accounts ready for scrutiny by their master- The electorate. I urge all the Zambian people to reflect in this golden Jubilee year as to whether at the half way point the PF are any were near fulfilling their 90 day promises. Whether at half time, the PF are at 3 goals to 1, against their opponent of poverty, hunger and disease. Whether at half time, the PF are at 0-0 with their promises of a new constitution and expansion of freedoms. Whether at half time the PF are in fact behind by 0 goals to 3 against their promise of 5 million jobs in five years. Ladies and gentle, at half time, we the people of Zambia, through the MMD will blow the whistle so that every Zambian can look at the score card, at half time. People of Zambia, let us all be honest and fair in their judgement and reading of the score card on that day. Ladies and Gentlemen: In September, this year, a third major millstone of comparison will also have been reached. In September 2014, a mere nine month away and just on the eve of PF’s Fourth Budget presentation, President Michael Sata and the PF administration will have been in office for exactly the duration of time that the Rupiah Bwesani Banda administration under the MMD was in office. Three years completed. I repeat, Three years in office. At that time, we in the MMD will be making all the effort to make it possible for the Zambian people to judge and compare the School Report Cards of these two administrations. We will go around the country to discuss with the people of Zambia and make them compare the promises of these parties through their manifestos in relations to what they have or had achieved. Then we will be able to say, who is honest and who should be given a chance at sitting on the bench and who should be given time to play. Country men and women, I have approached this press address in this manner in order to request the PF to speed up in delivering their promises so that perhaps in the last two months remaining, before half time, the PF can at minimum, release the draft constitution, secure the process through a legal process and put in place a Referendum Committee to spear head the vote on a new constitution. When the whistle blows, this will be a major subject in assessing whether the PF should proceed to the next grade. Within Nine Months, not 90 days, by the time we get to September, It is our belief that sufficient time exists for the country to prepare, hold a referendum and have a new people driven constitution. Just in time for all of us to shout in joy and have peace in our hearts as we head into October to celebrate our Jubilee. What a gift to the Zambian people this would be? In all honesty, I tell you, we the MMD may be the first to admit at that time that a major subject had been passed by the PF and maybe can support that they be considered for possibly moving to the next grade. If on the other hand a people driven constitution is not delivered by October, all Zambian people will give a Red Card to the PF. All of us will raise the Red Card and ask all the players belonging to the PF to get out. DEMANDS AND PRONOUNCEMENTS i) People driven Constitution by way of Referendum The MMD applauds the stance taken by the consortium of Civil Society and opposition political parties towards the demand that the draft constitution submitted to the Government be immediately released to the general public. We will stand in support of the Oasis Forum in their quest to take this message of demands to all the corners of the republic. We, the MMD, wish to encourage the civil society and the Oasis forum not to be intimidate by a government that has become hostile towards a people they promised a constitution. We wish to remind the people of Zambia that the MMD, under Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, may his soul rest in peace, was compelled and forced by civil society to enact an NCC bill so as to protect the process and prevent government from producing a white paper. If fact, the process of constitution making, failed partly because the PF took a hard line, in their support of the stance taken by the Catholic Church at the time. Subsequently, this led to the expelling of 22 of their members. It is treachery of the worst kind for the President to now indicate that there is no constitutional crisis and that the document will not be released unless it goes to the Cabinet. This is a betrayal to all those who believed that President Sata would indeed deliver a people driven constitution. Hence, we demand for the immediate release of the draft constitution, a clear legal protection of the process and a Referendum Technical Committee to be established forthwith. We totally reject the concern expressed by the secretary to Cabinet about referendum expenditures affecting the budget process. How is it that by-elections are being held every other day? We demand for a referendum by September and a new people driven constitution by October 2014. ii) INDECO The announcement to revive the Industrial Development Cooperation (INDECO) in the current set of economic circumstances is ill placed and anachronistic of our historical disposition. Our Government neither has the cooperate governance discipline, the resources nor the skills to undertake such a large project. It will end up as a vehicle by which the PF will use to finance by-elections and their campaigns in 2016. It will be full of patronage, corruption, and nepotism as well as inefficiency to the extent that it will derail the free spirited nature of the domestic private sector to continue growing and thriving as has been the case in the past decade. It is our demand, that the PF immediately stop this bad idea and put a stop to all the borrowing planned for 2014. We recommend that the government strengthen the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ), give addition funding to the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), and advance the capacity of the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to facilitate local private sector development. We urge them to further reduce interest rate and other barriers towards the indigenous business men and women so that they can effectively compete with their foreign counterparts. The solution lies here, and not in nationalisation, interference in the market or President Sata becoming a Zhar of a political oligarchy called INDECO or IDC. iii) The Winter Kabimba Tribunal We demand that the Minister of Justice, Honourable Winter Kabimba immediately resigns so as to give space for the tribunal to probe his alleged abuse of office freely and independently. Honourable Kabimba demanded the resignation of Honourable Siliya when a tribunal was set up against her on the basis that she would either interfere as a Minster or that the members of the tribunal would not sufficiently feel protected from the state to make an independent decision. As Mr Kabimba is fond of saying, “What is good for the Goose is also good for the Gander.” If he is not man enough to relinquish his position, it is our demand that President Sata immediately removes from Cabinet until he is either cleared or found guilty. There is no compromise here. If this is not done, a very bad precedent will have been created by a government that loudly boasted of reinstating the abuse of office clause in the Zambian law books. iv) Proposed Opposition Alliance The call by some opposition political parties that there should be unity of purpose and that we as opposition parties should agree on some common working arrangements is fully supported by the MMD. Indeed, we are of the view that this is not only a wish of the opposition political parties, but a wish of the majority of our Zambian people. We therefore applaud those opposition parties that have championed this cause. One of the strongest pillars of the MMD is in its unyielding belief in the democratic process. Since the PF came into office all attempt at destroying democracy have been pushed forward. This is the reason why so many parliamentary seats have been nullified and all effort by the PF to gain dominance in the house of representative has been exerted. The target here is to ensure that there is no people driven constitution. It would be very carless for any opposition political party to take advantage of this devious policy by the PF to weaken further the opposition and mutilate the constitutional process. It is for this reason that the MMD is totally prepared to consider a working arrangement towards the opposition working together in regard to nullified seats, and eventually for the bigger picture. “The Needs of the Many far outweigh the needs of the Few or the One.” We will not put our individual ambitions and fixation to become president for the sake of it and ahead of what maybe a much nobler cause to fix the ills of our country. The MMD wishes to categorically state, from a point of strength, that we welcome the calls for a discussion and an eventual arrangement by witch we can all work together as opposition political parties. In this regard, The MMD will positively be submitting this proposal, among other issues, to the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to be held within the next 30 days. In principal and in practical terms, please count us in as we are prepared to give it a try. I thank you and God Bless. zambiareports/2014/01/20/nevers-calls-hijack-claims-tantamount-stupid-idiot-label/
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:23:08 +0000
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