By KAIKO NAMUSA –
JUSTICE Minister Wynter Kabimba has assured that Government is not resisting giving Zambians a people-driven Constitution.
He explained that the Constitutional Technical Committee had advised him that it was now ready to handover the report and accompanying documents to President Michael Sata and that he was consulting with the Head of State on the appropriate date.
Mr Kabimba said in his Ministerial statement presented to Parliament yesterday that it is incorrect to suggest that Zambia has become polarised as regards the Constitution making process.
He said that one of the reasons there was a  delay in the handover of the report was the attempt at one point by the Constitution Technical Committee to hand him the report, instead of giving it to the Republican President, who was the appointing authority.
“I objected to such handover and I returned the documents to the office of the chairperson of the Committee pending my consultation on the handover date with President Michael Sata,” he said.
Mr Kabimba said he had now been advised by the Chairperson of the Committee that the final draft report was ready for handover to President Sata.
He was therefore consulting with Head of State for a suitable date within his schedule of work for such a date.
He said Government was dismayed with public statements by stakeholders ‘insinuating’ lack of political will or good faith to the process.
He said it was not true to suggest that the country had become polarised as regards the Constitution making process.
“We as Government appreciate the fact that in a democracy, like ours, the people will express their views through different avenues on how the Government should undertake various programmes. However, we should be careful and guard against projecting puritanism in such instances,” he said.
The House also welcomed newly elected UPND MP, Jonas Shakafuswa who took oath before the Speaker Dr Patrick Matibini.
Meanwhile, opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday disrupted Parliamentary proceedings after they converged before Dr Matibini’s mace chanting “Constitution” immediately after Mr Kabimba issued a ministerial statement on the process.
The conduct of the opposition MPs forced Dr Matibini to suspend proceedings for more than 40 minutes and after the break, he announced that business of day had been adjourned.