saccord accusses mmd of trying to manipulate the national constitution

THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN CENTRE FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES (SACCORD) HAS ACCUSED THE RULING MMD GOVERNMENT OF TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO THE 50% PLUS ONE VOTE SYSTEM.

SACCORD SAYS THEY ARE PARTICULARLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO USE FAKE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THEIR DECISION NOT TO ALLOW THE COUNTRY USE THE 50% PLUS ONE VOTE SYSTEM DURING THE 2011 ELECTIONS FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATION STRESSED THAT THE DECISION BY THE GOVERNMENT IS CLEARLY AIMED AT KEEPING THE MMD IN POWER BEYOND THE 2011 ELECTIONS WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS DISHONESTY, MANIPULATIVE AND AN ATTEMPT TO PRE-DETERMINE THE OUTCOME OF THE 2011 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

THIS IS ACCORDING TO A NEWS STATEMENT AVAILED TO RADIO PHOENIX TODAY BY SACCORD INFORMATION OFFICER OBBY CHIBULUMA.

MR CHIBULUMA SAID THE REASONS ADVANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT OVER THE 50%PLUS ONE VOTE FORMULA CAN NOT CONVINCE ANYONE AND THOSE IN POWER MUST KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA KNOW THAT THE MMD IS SCARED OF LOSING THE NEXT ELECTIONS AS THEY WANT TO EMPLOY UNDERHAND TACTICS TO REMAIN IN POWER.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THIS SAME GOVERNMENT HIJACKED THE PEOPLE’S CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS BY FIRSTLY MAKING IT COMPOSED OF LOYALIST OF THE MMD GOVERNMENT AND BY SENDING SOME OF THE CLAUSES TO A REFERENDUM WHICH THEY KNEW THAT THEY WOULD NOT HOLD BEFORE THE 2011 ELECTIONS.

SACCORD SAYS THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT AMOUNT TO DECEPTION AND TRICKERY AS IT HAS NOT BEEN HONEST OVER THE CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS.

SACCORD SAYS IF RULING MMD IS TO REMAIN RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA, THEY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO THE RIGHT THINGS BY ENSURING THAT THEY RESPECT THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA AND MUST BEGIN TO RUN AN HONEST AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT.

AND ZAMBIANS HAVE FURTHER BEEN URGED TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR A GENUINELY PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION AND ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO CHOSE TO DISRESPECT THE WISHES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE ARE MADE TO PAY FOR THEIR DISHONEST.

ENDS//////////