Zambia’s opposition parties resolve to miss the Constitution Indaba

Sixteen opposition political parties that form part of the Grand Coalition on the Constitution say they will not attend the Constitution Indaba organized by SACCORD, saying it undermines their objectives to have the final draft constitution released.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka today, ADD president Charles Milupi who spoke on behalf of the opposition political parties says the Constitution Indaba by does not take into account the stage at which the 16 opposition parties have reached on the issue of the constitutional making process.

Mr. Milupi, who was franked by among others MMD president Nevers Mumba, UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema and NAREP’s Elias Chipimo says the focus of the 16 opposition political parties is to meet with the president Michael Sata on the issue of the constitution.

He says the opposition feels it is now time for the release of the final draft constitution and not for a question and answer session through an indaba.

Mr Milupi says the position of the opposition political parties remains the same, that government releases the final draft constitution whose contents should be confirmed by the Technical committee.

He adds that the opposition further wants the government to provide a clear road map for the enactment of the new constitution as well as setting the date for the referendum and the enactment of the new constitution through an Act of Parliament by 2016.

And MMD president Nevers Mumba says by meeting with the opposition political parties, President Sata will have an opportunity to find his way out the impasse his government has created on the constitution.

And UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says should President Sata turn down the request by the opposition to meet with him, they will devise other measures to ensure the new constitution is enacted before 2016.