House of Chiefs resolves to reject the draft constitution

The House of Chiefs has resolved to reject the draft constitution which carries a clause they claim takes away their powers and rights over land and gives them to the President.

Executive Director Sunday Chanda says Traditional Leaders were represented at every stage of the constitution making process when the technical committee went around the country.

Mr. Chanda points out that the traditional rulers were also adequately represented during the National Conference on the constitution.

He says it therefore amounts to blackmailing an important process for their Royal Highnesses to decide to fight an entire final draft constitution when their grievances are around a particular clause.

Mr Chanda also wonders how the traditional leaders accessed the final draft constitution even before it is presented to the President for them to know the final contents therein.

MR. Chanda states that his organization will take the President’s latest statement on the constitution as indication of government’s good faith.

And the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has challenged chiefs who have rejected the draft constitution to tell the nation who leaked the document to them.

UPND Deputy Spokesperson, Edwin Lifwekelo, has told QFM News that it is important that Chiefs help Zambians to understand how they came across the document when government has indicated that the document has not yet been handed over.

Mr. Lifwekelo wonders how the traditional leaders managed to have access to the document when the whole country is in the dark as to where the document is.

He has since challenged the chiefs who have rejected the draft constitution to come out and tell the nation how they accessed the final draft constitution.