UPND CALLS FOR PROPER INTERPRETATION OF HH'S RECENT CONSTITUTION REFORM REMARKS
UPND CALLS FOR PROPER INTERPRETATION OF HH’S RECENT CONSTITUTION REFORM REMARKS
March 10th, 2025
LUSAKA – UPND Media Director, Mark Simuuwe has clarified that the debate on President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent mention of amending the Republican Constitution was not meant at altering electoral statutes but entrenching the calls for Proportional Representation that calls for 50 percent women representation in Parliament.
Mr. Simuuwe said in the constitution, it must be in no uncertain terms clear that there shall be, for instance, be a minimum of 40 or 50 percent of women in Parliament.
He said this during a press briefing at the UPND’s Anderson Mazoka House this morning.
Last week, On March 8, during International Women’s Day (IWD) commemorations in Kasama, President Hichilema stressed the need for women to be accorded the support to equitably participate in the country’s electoral processes.
Mr Simuuwe said the statement from the President was a response to various conventions that Zambia is party to and those that seeks to entrench gender equity and equality amongst the two genders.
He said it was regrettable that the very people who aggressively championed the Proportional Representation agenda in the failed Bill 10 had taken to wanton arm twisting of President Hichilema’s sentiments.
“I believe we can do better constitutional, we are wasting the time of citizens to reflect on progressive causes, instead if we have individuals that are serious with governance issues, they would have been discussing content,” he said.
Mr. Simuuwe said the provisions in the constitution are so weak in terms of including those persons with disabilities.
He also said that there should be a clear, compelling clause to allow for persons living with disabilities to be part of the governance process and represent their expressions.
He also criticized the growing trend of distortion of information from the opposition, stating that those claiming that the time frame between the times President Hichilema made calls for express changes to the Constitution was short were merely using emotional blackmail and mere speculation.
Mr Simuuwe also indicated that the Constitutional Act entails the relevant processes necessary to commence constitutional reforms.
(C) UPND MEDIA TEAM
