Civil Society should be proactive – CISCA

Mon, 22 May 2017 13:15:35 +0000

By SIABANA KELVIN

THERE is need for the civil society in the country to awake from deep slumber by providing real checks and balances to the government and other leaders in the country, says newly launched Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CISCA) publicity secretary McDonald Chipenzi.

Both the opposition and ruling political party leaders should be held accountable for their day to day activities in public offices for the nation to move forward.

Mr Chipenzi said that the civil society in the country has remained mute on a number of important issues affecting the people of Zambia such as poverty, eco-social injustices, unemployment and abuse on human rights because some of the civil societies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the country have political inclinations.

He said the civil society, NGOs, the Church should be neutral when addressing important issues which were negatively affecting the economic growth of the nation for the nation to move in one direction unlike being puppets of political parties.

Mr Chipenzi said the civil societies were a voice for the oppressed and down trodden people in society who were supposed to be ably represented effectively the civil society and other stakeholders are afraid of the unknown.

The CISCA publicity secretary said in Kitwe when the organisation was officially launched on the Copperbelt that the civil society needed to be awaken from the deep sleep in order for the people in the country to know their rights by sensitising and educating them through awareness programmes.

Mr Chipenzi added that political powers should not control the civil society, NGOs or faith based organisations in the country because their mutual existence is to provide checks and balances without fear or favour. He said CISCA was an organisation that has come on board to ensure that every Zambian citizen knows their fundamental human rights and by taking to task the leaders in the country who would fail to work according to their respective duties in delivering governance and public service to the Zambians.

Mr Chipenzi said both the ruling and opposition political leaders should respect the will of the citizens if they were not happy with what the Government or other organisations were doing in the country.

“Zambia is a sovereign and democratic republic and the citizens should express their opinion in a positive and negative way in order to shape the future of the nation,” Mr Chipenzi said.