. CHANDA

By JAMES KUNDA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula to constitute a Referendum Commission to oversee the successful holding of the Referendum on the Bill of Rights in August this year.
Meanwhile, the Head of State has acknowledged with gratitude the counsel given by the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) in a pastoral letter signed by more than 10 Catholic bishops from across the country this week.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda told journalists at State House in Lusaka yesterday that the President was keen on the hosting of a successful Referendum on the Bill of Rights.
“The Government remains committed to delivering the Bill of Rights, which will only come about once a Referendum has been done. President Lungu has directed the minister of Justice to ensure that the Electoral Commission is reconstituted into the Referendum Commission for purposes of delivering a Referendum and including the Bill of Rights in the Constitution,” MrChanda said.
He said the process that President Lungu began with the signing of the Constitution last month would continue as promised to the people.
Mr Chanda said the President was grateful that the clergy would use their moral authority to promote virtues that uphold national unity.
“The Government, the President himself and his Cabinet will listen sensibly to the suggestions that have been made and the recommendation that the Catholic bishops have made.
“The President is grateful that the Catholic bishops are insisting on the things that are very important and close to his heart such as abhorring tribalism and regionalism and stamping violence out of the political scene,” MrChanda said.
MrLungu was cognisant of the clergy’s concerns on the loss of jobs in the mining industry and took note of the fact that mines should not make labour the frontline when formulating solutions to their insolvents.
Mr Chanda said, in taking note of the commendation of the Constitution-making process, MrLungu had directed the ministries of Justice and Information to come up with a series of television documentaries explaining the contents of the Constitution.
He said this was because some people were making uninformed and speculative debate about the Constitution, including inserting in their debates things that were not in the Supreme Law.
“So the President is, therefore, supportive of the call by the bishops that people must engage in informed debate about the contents of the Constitution,” Mr Chanda said.