By CHARITY MOONGA –
THE labour movement and some Church bodies have criticised civil society organisations (CSOs) and opposition political parties pressing for protests over the Constitution-making process.
Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia president Joyce Nonde-Simukoko said differing with the Government over the Constitution would cause further delay to the process that Government had shown willingness to conclude.
“Let us give them an opportunity so that we move forward instead of quarrelling. After all we all participated in the process and we know the contents of the draft Constitution,” Ms Nonde-Simukoko said.
Bible Gospel Church in Africa Bishop Peter Ndhlovu said the planned protests would pre-empt the process.
Bishop Ndhlovu urged stakeholders to follow procedure as opposed to judging the Government even before the document was made public.
“The Government is on record that they will give us a people-driven Constitution. Let us avoid confrontation and judgement before the process comes to an end.
“I am appealing to all of us to give the Government a chance. Let us avoid confrontation at all costs and take a peaceful way of solving the issue. Let the Government’s promise on the Constitution come to pass, then we can raise our concerns,” he said.
Independent Churches of Zambia Board chairperson David Masupa urged the CSOs coalition to involve the people who participated in the process during the Constitution conventions instead of using unorthodox means of attaining their goals.
Reverend Masupa said the coalition was misleading Zambians by alleging that the Church was involved in the planned demonstrations when there were just a few Church mother bodies involved.
“We need them to clarify which Churches they are talking about because some of us as churches are feeling misrepresented; we were not even consulted about these protests,” he said.
The CSOs, the Church, opposition political parties and other stakeholders on Saturday held protest prayers in Lusaka to press for the simultaneous release of the draft Constitution to the President and the public.
The protests and demonstrations are scheduled to spread to the provinces.
Last week the Technical Committee on Drafting the Constitution said it would hand over 10 copies of the draft Constitution to the President alone as it had failed to simultaneously hand over to members of the public.
