‘DON’T POLITICISE CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW’
By ADRIAN MWANZA
THE new dawn government should expedite and not politicise the process of reviewing the constitution ahead of the 2026 general elections, lawyer Sakwiba Sikota has said.
Mr Sikota said in an interview the government needed to complete the process by 2023 to avoid the misconception that they wanted to manipulate the constitution having in mind the 2026 general elections.
Vice President Mutale Nalumango in Parliament assured the House that the 2026 general elections would be held under a refined constitution with minimal lacunas.
She said the new dawn government would in the next few years preceding the next general election conduct a thorough and all-inclusive constitutional review process.
But Mr Sikota said the move was commended but that there was need to ensure that the process was not politicised to favour a particular grouping.
He said that the process needed to be concluded before 2023 to clear any ounce of doubt that it was being politicised.
“It is a commendable gesture but it has to be all inclusive and should be consultative with a cross section of people to give their views,” he said.
Mr Sikota said that there was need to work on the current one to fine tune it and get rid of the lacunas.
He said that time was of the essence and consultations needed to start now and away from the public so that people from various groupings could give their submissions.
