Fix economy before amending Constitution again-GYZ

Sat, 19 Nov 2016 09:41:32 +0000

ZAMBIA should be transforming the economy and not embarking on another constitution-making process, Gallant Youth in Zambia has said.

GYZ has also challenged Cabinet ministers to take the lead in sacrificing for the country by forgoing some of their allowances in order to channel the resources to needy areas in the economy as part of the Government’s austerity measures.

GYZ executive director Henry Mulenga told the Daily Nation that while the country needed a Constitution that was explicit and comprehensive, calls to amend the Constitution were misplaced.

Mr. Mulenga said embarking on constitutional amendments now meant that the country would have to spend millions of kwacha thereby defeating Government’s call for reduced spending as one of the austerity measures to boost the economy.

He said the economic recovery path outlined by Finance Minister Felix Mutati would be in vain if not followed, adding that all well-meaning Zambians should realise that the country could do with the current amended Constitution for the time being as a long and lasting solution was found.

“It is true that the Constitution needs attention to address the lacunas therein but it is not a priority. Although we may wish most clauses to be redefined so that they are clearer and reduce the lacunas, we feel bringing up such a debate may not be the best way because we must first recover our economy. If we embark on constitutional amendments, we shall require resources for us to undertake such an exercise.

“The economy needs serious attention right now and it is good that a number of stringent measures have been put in place to try and resuscitate it and we feel this is where we should direct our energies and only come to relook at certain unclear clauses in the Constitution which may require fine tuning when our resources allow us to do so,” Mr. Mulenga said. Mr. Mulenga similarly challenged cabinet ministers to follow the President’s lead in sacrificing for the country.

‘‘President Lungu has led by example by pledging that 10 percent of his salary will go towards marketeers’ empowerment fund. What has remained is for other constitutional office bearer to follow suit. Savings made through cuts on Government expenditure on ministers, MPs, council chairpersons and executive mayors can go towards needy areas in the economy,” he said.