By GIDEON NYENDWA
JUSTICE Minister Princess Kasune has assured Zambians that the forthcoming draft bill on constitutional amendments will impress the nation, addressing long-standing governance issues without controversy.
Speaking when she featured on ZNBC’s Sunday interview Ms. Kasune clarified that while there is no draft bill yet, the government is working on provisions that will shape it. She expressed confidence that once Zambians see the draft, they will be grateful that the government took bold steps to resolve persistent challenges.
“When Zambians see the draft bill, they will be wowed and appreciate that the government had the courage to address these issues, which have been a menace,” she said.
Among the key concerns being tackled, she highlighted the problem of by-elections and candidates withdrawing after the nomination process.
She also dismissed claims that the amendments would alter the presidential term or the 50+1 electoral threshold.
Ms. Kasune said the proposed amendments are non-contentious and based on existing reports, making a referendum unnecessary since they do not affect clauses under Part 3 of the Constitution.
She emphasised that consensus does not require 100 percent agreement and ruled out the need for new commissions of inquiry, arguing that past commissions, such as the Mung’omba and Mwanakatwe commissions, had already done the necessary groundwork.
“The Constitution mandates members of Parliament to amend non-contentious issues,” she noted, adding that once the draft is made public, even sceptics will push for its swift enactment.
Ms. Kasune revealed that the roadmap for the amendments may be released this month, as the process was dependent on Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) reports, some of which date back to 2019, before the United Party for National Development (UPND) took office.
She assured that opposition parties would be consulted as part of the process, dismissing claims that there was a specific time frame within which amendments should have been introduced.
Responding to concerns from the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), Ms. Kasune reiterated that the Constitution allows amendments at any time and that Article 79 empowers Parliament to make necessary changes.
She urged citizens to engage with the legal framework of the country, saying, “The same way they love reading the Bible, they must love reading the Constitution.”
