Catholic Bishops Oppose Bill 10

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for the immediate withdrawal of Bill 10.

The Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 10 has proved divisive. Championed by Government as a necessary measure to address lacunas in the existing Constitution, it has been virulently opposed by several opposition parties and civil society organisations.

The comments by the ZCCB come as Parliament resumed sitting on Tuesday.

Addressing the matter ZCCB President Rt Rev. George Zulu called on all Members of Parliament “to respect the will of the majority Zambians and immediately withdraw the said Bill 10 from the floor of the House.”

The ZCCB has questioned both the process by which the Bill was developed, as well as some of its contents.

“Unfortunately, what we have observed with regard to Bill 10 is that, the process that was undertaken lacked genuine consensus and has become a source of division in the country,” he stated.

Among the most contentious and concerning provisions in the Bill are the re-introduction of deputy ministers, the permitting of ministers to stay in office during elections and scope for interference in the appointment of judges. All of which opposition and civil society claim are designed not to benefit the citizenry, but to strengthen the PF’s grip on power ahead of elections next year.

Opponents, from the UPND and the NDC, to the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), ActionAid and Linda Kasonde’s Chapter One, have objected to the Bill on the basis that it strengthens the existing powers of the executive and President to the detriment of Zambia’s democracy.

The Bill also contains some worrisome provisions relating to Government’s economic and financial management, giving the President the power to contract debt without requiring parliamentary approval. This has served as another red flag ahead of elections.