‘We never leaked draft constitution’, insists Mwansa

The technical committee on drafting the Zambian constitution has maintained that it was ready to hand over the final draft constitution to President Michael Sata.

 

In a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, technical committee Spokesperson Ernest Mwansa said the committee has always been ready to hand over the documents but had been prevented from doing so because government has not been ready to receive them (documents).

 

Mr. Mwansa said the committee was comprised of government appointees who cannot refuse to hand over the final draft constitution and the report of the technical committee to government.

 

He noted that his committee eagerly wants to hand over the documents to government at any appointed time.

 

Mr. Mwansa said the committee has conducted and executed its responsibilities above board and in the interest of Zambian citizens and generations to come.

 

He expressed innocence of all the allegations that the committee had leaked the draft constitution which was circulating and was now in public domain.

 

He further disclosed that the soft copy of both the final draft constitution and the report of the technical committee were kept at the Ministry of Justice offices for security reasons.

 

 

Mr. Mwansa, who welcomed directives by Vice President Guy Scott to investigate the source of the leaked document, insisted that the probe should be extended to government because the documents have also been in government’s possession.

 

He implored the Vice President to desist from insinuating that the technical committee leaked the document as it was prejudicial to an independent investigation.

 

Recently, Dr. Scott ordered that the technical committee be investigated for allegedly having leaked the document.