Updates On The Constitution From Parliament

By Paul Shalala

Today's Vice President's Question Time was the last one in this sitting of parliament which is expected to adjourn sine die on Tuesday next week.

As part of their protest on the constitution, opposition members of parliament sat quietly and none of them asked a single question to Dr Guy Scott during the 30 minutes long Vice President's Question Time.

Ruling Patriotic Front backbenchers seized the opportunity and turned it into a field day in which they took turns asking questions to Dr Scott.

The opposition members of parliament including independent Lubanshenshi member of parliament Patrick Mucheleka, all sat and kept quiet during the 30 minutes for the Vice President's Question Time.

Dr Scott said holding a referendum in older to adopt the new constitution will be more difficulty and less manageable than holding a general election.

He said in a referendum, the country is supposed to ensure that atleast two thirds of the population vote in the referendum to make the document legitimate.

The Vice President says this is as opposed to a general election where only registered voters are allowed to cast their ballots in an election.

Dr Scott has also assured the nation that government will not allow any sectors of society to hijack the constitution making process.

He said the ruling Patriotic Front has enough numbers in parliament to ensure that the new constitution is enacted in an orderly manner.

The Vice President said this in response to several questions posed by Patriotic Front backbenchers who posed several questions on the constitution.

Meanwhile, Dr Scott has revealed that Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba has been cleared by the Judge Evans Hamaundu-led tribunal.

Dr Scott says as far as he is aware, Mr Kabimba was cleared of all allegations leveled against him.

The Vice President revealed this in Parliament this morning in response to Lupososhi member of parliament Bwalya Chungu who wanted to know the results of the Judge Hamaundu Tribunal.

Human rights activist Brebner Changala and former Solwezi central member of parliament Lucky Mulusa petitioned Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda to set up a tribunal to probe the Justice Minister.

The two alleged that Mr Kabimba abused his office when he allegedly used a government legal opinion offered to him in his capacity as Minister of Justice by the Solicitor General Musa Mwenye to allegedly pursue a private agenda of the ruling Patriotic Front and subsequently by a private litigant.

Mazabuka Central member of Parliament Garry Nkombo this morning moved a motion to urge government to provide a roadmap for the enactment of the new constitution.

In moving the motion, Mr Nkombo said his move was non confrontational as it was aimed at highlighting the commitment by the Patriotic Front to the constitution.

He said with the completion of the work by the Technical Committee on Drafting the Republican Constitution, there was need for government to guide the nation on the way forward.

The motion was seconded by Chembe member of parliament Mwansa Mbulakulima who said the new constitution must be able to improve governance in the country.

Meanwhile, opposition members of parliament who earlier this week avoided asking questions for oral answers, today resumed their normal duties.

UPND Mwinilunga member of parliament Stephen Katuka and his Solwezi West MMD counterpart Humphrey Mwanza today posed their questions.

UPND Katuba member of parliament Jonas Shakafuswa and his Kabompo West counterpart Ambrose Lufuma also asked follow up questions.

And contributing to the debate, Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba said government had a clear roadmap which will deliver a people driven constitution.

Mr Kabimba's sentiments were echoed by Lupososhi member of parliament Bwalya Chungu who said all lawmakers must partner with government to produce a people driven constitution.

However, Mr Chungu could not finish debating the motion as parliament was adjourned at 12:55.

The Lupososhi lawmaker is expected to wind up his debate on Tuesday before the house votes whether to adopt or reject the motion.

Shakafuswa Makes Triumphant Entry Into Parliament

By Paul Shalala in Katuba

After a three year absence from parliament, Jonas Shakafuswa is back at Manda Hill.

Following his loss to the late MMD area member of parliament Dr Patrick Chikusu in 2011, Mr Shakafuswa stayed out of parliament as a UPND member.

But at around 10:15hrs yesterday, Katuba parliamentary by-election Returning Officer Mutambi Mwanamwalye declared him duly elected Katuba member of parliament.

This followed Mr Shakafuswa's perfomance in Tuesday's Katuba by-election in which he beat 6 other candidates and emmerged victorious with 4, 787 votes.

After being declared victorious, Mr Shakafuswa said he was happy to have the privilege to represent Katuba in parliament again.


He said he was ready to work with 'useless MPs' and push development further.


As parliament resumed its usual sittings yesterday at 14:30hrs, Mr Shakfuswa majestically walked into parliament and took oath before the Speaker.


Mr Shakafuswa also took part in the protest by MPs inside parliament after Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba issued a ministerial statement on the constitution making process.

Earlier, there was confusion at the totalling center when a Zambia Airforce helicopter which went to the last remaining results from three remaining polling stations took long.

UPND members led by Kalomo Central member of parliament Request Muntanga, who was also UPND Katuba campaign manager, exchanged words with Electoral Commission of Zambia officers as to why the helicopter was delaying to bring the results.


At 06:00hrs on Wednesday, the helicopter took off from Moomba Catholic Parish Hall (which was the totalling center) and flew to Mboshya, Namayani and kananzhiba which are not accessible by road.

After a 2 hour long wait, the camouflaged military helicopter appeared from the sky and delivered the results at the totalling center much to the excitement of the jubilating UPND cadres.

Results for the losing candidates include PF candidate Moses Chilando who got 2, 747 votes followed by MMD's Cecil Holmes who got 734 votes.

NAREP candidate Joseph Mushalika polled 566 votes, Alliance for a Better Zambia candidate Patricia Mwashingwele polled 393 votes and UNIP candidate Friday Malawo got 124 votes.

National Revolution Party candidate Shakespeare Mwakamui trailed them all with a paltry 23 votes.

His party President Cozmo Mumba has since announced that he will petition the Katuba election results because his party sympathisers did not show up at polling stations due to intimidation.

Mr Mumba, who last month threatened to resign if his candidate loses in Katuba, says he will update the nation on his resignation on Saturday.

Violence Characterises Katuba By-Election

By Paul Shalala in Katuba

Voting in the Katuba parliamentary by-election in Chibombo District, Central Province this morning started with an impressive turn out of voters.

Long queues of voters were formed at various polling stations along the Lusaka-Kabwe road.

Voters started queuing up outside polling stations as early as 05:30hrs this morning.

Even old people could be seen walking slowly to their respective polling stations to cast their ballots.

But as the day progressed, the number of people on the queues kept reducing.

At Muwanjuni Polling Station, which is the largest Poling Station in Katuba, three long queues of voters were formed by 06:00hrs when Presiding Officer Edward Phiri declared voting open.

Muwanjuni has 2, 085 registered voters and it is one of the areas in Katuba where major political parties spent most of their time campaigning.

At Shifwankula Polling Station, over a hundred voters had already cast their ballots by 09:00hrs this morning as dozens more were still lining up outside the Polling Station to vote.

By 08:50hours this morning, 92 people had already voted at Kayosha Polling Station which has 900 registered voters.

Some of the seven candidates vying for the Katuba by-election this morning voted in their respective polling stations.

National Revolution Party candidate Shakespeare Mwakamui cast his ballot at Kayosha Polling Station in the company of his campaign manager.

Alliance for a Better Zambia candidate Patricia Mwashingwele also went to Kayosha Polling Station to vote but she was turned away as she did not carry her voters card.

After half an hour of waiting, journalists called Ms Mwashingwele to find out if she would come back and vote but she said she could not find the card.

MMD candidate Cecil Holmes was not eligible to vote in Katuba as he is a registered voter in the neighbouring Chisamba Constituency where he once served as area member of parliament.

UPND candidate Jonas Shakafuswa voted at Northpark Polling Station near Kabangwe Police Station.

After voting, Mr Shakafuswa was briefed that Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe had harassed her daughter Louise.

According to Louise, the Minister accused her of dishing out money to voters and he immediately searched her and found no money on her. 

Mr Shakafuswa later drove to Kabangwe Police Post with her daughter where the issue was reported to the Police.

Both at the Polling Station and at the Police Post, Mr Shakafuswa showered insults on Mr Sikazwe.

But Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Bridget Atanga said UPND cadres are the ones who harassed Mr Sikazwe at Northpark Polling Station.

She alleged that UPND cadres had invaded Mungule road and harassed anyone who was seen to be sympathising with the Patriotic Front.

Meanwhile, two PF cadres who have been allegedly beaten by UPND supporters have surfaced.

The two, Paul Mwamba and Joseph Chama where allegedly beaten in Muchenje ward of Katuba constituency.

Paul has suffered deep cuts on his face, lips and eyes while Joseph has loose teeth and internal injuries.

The cadres told me that they were blocked by UPND cadres on a gravel road and dragged from their vehicle and beaten with stones, sticks and iron bars.

 Meanwhile, Police at Kabangwe Police Post have arrested a man for allegedly assaulting the two Patriotic Front cadres.

Central Province Police Commissioner Standwell Lungu, who is coordinating the security operation in Katuba, says the Police are holding the man to help with investigations into the case.

Mr Lungu says a docket has been opened and the suspect will be charged with unlawful wounding.

The Police Commissioner has also disclosed that a second docket has been opened in the case involving UPND Katuba parliamentary candidate Jonas Shakafuswa's daughter Louise who was allegedly harrased by Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe this morning.

Meanwhile, voting has closed in Katuba constituency at exactly 18:00hrs.

Counting has commenced in all the 32 Polling Stations across Katuba.

Votes from each Polling Station will be sent to the totalling centrer at Moomba Catholic Parish Hall.

Official results and the declaration of the winner is expected tomorrow as some polling stations are not likely to send their results in the night.

This is because some polling stations are not accessible by road as they are only served by helicopters from the Zambia Airforce (ZAF).

ZAF helicopters are expected to bring results from those inaccessible areas tomorrow morning.