By CHARITY MOONGA –

GOVERNMENT has exposed a scam in which known political party leaders are inciting and funding civil society organisations (CSOs) to hijack the Constitution-making process.

Chief Government spokesperson Mwansa Kapeya said the recent crusade on the Constitution-making process was being bankrolled by selfish individuals who were giving some CSOs money to champion it.

Mr Kapeya said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that it was regrettable that such a noble process had been hijacked by certain political elements and selfish individuals whose objective was to embarrass, humiliate and politically undermine the sovereign will of the people.

He said Government was in possession of credible information of how money had exchanged hands in the crusade over the Constitution-making process.

“The crusade is being propelled by selfish individuals. Identifiable politicians have released these funds to specific civil society leaders to champion this cause.

“If pushed too far, we shall name and shame the culprits involved as well as show the trail of how these funds were channelled for this purpose. We wonder where this desperation is emanating from if truly the proponents of this campaign are genuine,” he said.

The crusade began on Saturday with protest prayers that were held at the Cathedral in Lusaka to press Government to allow the Technical Committee on Drafting the Constitution to release the draft Constitution simultaneously to the President and the members of the public.

The CSOs are threatening to stage countrywide protests over what they perceive to be delays in releasing the draft Constitution to the public.

Mr Kapeya has since assured the Zambian people that Government would not surrender the dignified Constitution-making process to ‘opportunistic and reckless individuals’ with ulterior motives.

“Be comforted that we are alert and the current political schemes and ill-intentions over this process will not go unchecked.

“We shall defend and protect the interests of the masses from those that have hijacked this decent process,” Mr Kapeya said.

He said Government was convinced that the Constitution-making process could only succeed if it was devoid of narrow partisan and sectoral interests.