By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
THE successful amendment of the non-contentious issues in the Republican Constitution has vindicated the Patriotic Front (PF) as a party that means well for the Zambian people, party deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri has said.
. Phiri
Ms Phiri said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the people of Zambia had seen for themselves that the PF was a party that stood by its promises and meant to follow the will of the people.
She said there were a number of commentators, including some civil society organisations as well as some opposition political parties, including the United Party for National Development (UPND), that alleged that the ruling party had abandoned the Constitution Bill.
“Some people said that they had information that the PF Members of Parliament (MPs) have been instructed by the secretariat to frustrate the Constitution amendment process.
“The people of Zambia have seen for themselves which people want to frustrate the Constitution-making process. It is surprising that the groups that have been claiming that the Cabinet is bloated, they are the ones pushing for provincial assemblies, executive mayors and other expensive undertakings,” Ms Phiri said.
She said the PF pushed for progressive clauses like the 50+1, the running mate and dual citizenship that the people desired and not clauses that were not urgent and would just end up costing the Government even more, considering that 2016 was a year of the tripartite elections.
Ms Phiri said the country did not have the funds to have provincial assemblies and executive mayors as well as more than 90 nominated MPs.
She said the PF was a listening Government that wanted to honour the will of the people.
Ms Phiri said Zambians were intelligent people who were capable of judging for themselves which political party was sincere in meeting their aspirations.
She challenged the public to question the motive of some civil society organisations and the UPND in asking the Government to reduce spending but demand for things that would increase Government expen
