Dialogue Forum to ‘fine-tune’ Constitution between April 23 – May 7

16th April 2019

Local

Justice minister Given Lubinda speaks to journalists shortly after receiving a submission the Political Parties Bill from Zambia Center for Interparty Dialogue acting executive director Rosmary Phiri at his office in Lusaka on September 5, 2017 -picture by Tenson Mkhala

Local

Justice minister Given Lubinda speaks to journalists shortly after receiving a submission the Political Parties Bill from Zambia Center for Interparty Dialogue acting executive director Rosmary Phiri at his office in Lusaka on September 5, 2017 -picture by Tenson Mkhala

The National Dialogue Forum, constituted to make recommendations for the amendment of the Republican Constitution will sit to conduct its business between April 23 and May 7, 2019.

According to a statement released by Acting Parliamentary Counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Mwenya Kaela Bwalya, the sittings of the forum shall be held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka for 10 days.

“The National Dialogue Forum constituted under section 5 of the National Dialogue (Constitution, Electoral Process, Public Order and Political Parties) Act no. 1 of 2019, is scheduled to commence sittings on Tuesday 23rd April 2019 and end on Monday 7th may, 2019. The sittings of the forum shall be held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre from Monday to Friday from 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours daily, excluding public holidays,” stated Bwalya.

“The ministry of justice would therefore like to inform the public that following the enactment of the National Dialogue Act, members of the forum appointed by the Secretary to the Cabinet are expected to register and get accreditation. Accreditation of the members will commence at 14:00 hours on Monday 22nd April 2019 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

Last Friday, President Edgar Lungu assented to the Bill, despite 53 UPND MP, 11 NGOs and three church mother bodies refusing to be part of the process.