Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) vice chairperson Judith Mulenga says the Patriotic front has fear of losing power as evidenced by the hurry to carry out constitution amendments even when there is no constitution crisis in the country.

And Mulenga has called on members of parliament to reject Constitution Amendment Bill number 10, 2019.

Speaking at a press briefing, Wednesday, Mulenga said the funeral dirge that the PF were hearing was real.

“It is no brainer as to why government is in such a hurry to carry out constitution amendments even when we are not in ac constitution crisis. It is the fear of losing power. We are aware that previous governments have tried in varying degrees to manipulate the outcome of each constitution-making process to favour their continued stay in power either by rejecting people’s wishes or adding provisions not submitted by the people. But the PF has taken this manipulation to a level never seen in this country. The blatant gerrymandering exhibited in this process is unprecedented in the history of the independence of our country we are lost for politically correct words to describe bill 10 except to call a spade a spade. A constitution cannot have provisions that negate the essential elements of doctrine of the separation of powers by removing the oversight role of the Legislature on the Executive. Therefore we find it hard to believe that the Bill could be presented to the same Legislature whose authority the same Bill intends to remove,” Mulenga observed.

“We would like to graciously inform the PF that the funeral dirge they hear in their heads is real though there is still time to redeem themselves and deliver to the people of Zambia a constitution that commands everyone’s respect and loyalty that stands the test of time and has legitimacy. This is no time to continue in its time to continue in its immune or scheming mode not on the constitution!”

And Mulenga noted with shock attempts by the House to go straight into deliberating on the Amendments Bill, without going through the two thirds majority route.

“We note with concern the manner in which parliament is proceeding with the constitutional amendments arising from the flawed NDF. Article 79 of the constitute requires that two thirds of MPs vote in favour of the motion to amend the constitution before any deliberations on the Constitution can be tabled in the House. However, we note with shock attempts by the House to go straight into deliberating on the amendments of substantive constitution clauses without going through the route provided for by the constitution,” she said.

And Mulenga has called on members of parliament to reject Bill 10

“We call upon all members of parliament who genuinely represent the will of their electorates to reject bill 10 by not opening the constitution to any form of amendments but defeating the bill by article 79 of the two thirds votes. This is what happened in the not too distant past when the MMD in its dying kickbacks tried to do what PF is trying to do equally in its death throes! Bill 10 is simply dreadful and we call upon the people of this country to outrightly reject this bill,” said Mulenga.

Meanwhile, CiSCa chairperson Bishop John Mambo said the country was turning into a mafia sate

“We are living through a life support machine. We cannot afford to be careless, we are heading into a mafia state. If we stop being called foolish and stupid and we agree this thing will go on forever and forever. The people surrounding the president must be bold enough to advice the president. But who do we have surrounding the President? If Zukas at the age of 94 a freedom fighter and many others will come out and say ‘things are heading into the wrong direction’, and are stopped from holding a press conference in a democracy, then something is wrong!” said Bishop Mambo.