JACK Kalala says there is nothing special about President Edgar Lungu for him to be left to disregard the Constitution.
Kalala, a former special assistant for policy and project implementation and monitoring in the Levy Mwanawasa administration, challenged interest groups to stand against President Lungu’s push for a third term of office.
“Respect for the Constitution by all should be absolute, not relative! I am appealing to LAZ, members of parliament, the Church, NGOs, good governance advocates, oversight institutions, well-meaning traditional leaders and citizens at large to stand up and defend our Constitution. The time is now,” he said in a statement. “There is nothing special about President Edgar Chagwa Lungu for him to be allowed to go against our sovereign laws. Zambia is not a Banana Republic. It is a functional democracy. President Lungu is not eligible to stand this year for two reasons: He has since been elected, sworn in and held office twice. He is not allowed to serve more than 10 years.”
Kalala said the constitution is a document that is respected in every normal social set up worldwide.
Giving a narrative of the Jewish people who received the 10 Commandments from God and obeyed throughout, Kalala said there was no way President Lungu could be allowed to disregard the law.
“The importance of the Constitution to the nation cannot be over-emphasised and no one should be allowed to breach it at will without consequences. In olden Biblical days anyone who broke any provision of the 10 Commandments, which was their constitution, was subjected to some punishment, even death in some cases,” said Kalala. “Equally, the Americans consider their Constitution to be a very sacred document that leaders and all citizens should religiously observe or face serious consequences such as impeachment or imprisonment. A constitution is important and critical to the wellbeing of a nation because it ensures that those who make decisions on behalf of the people fairly represent public opinion. It also sets out the ways in which those who exercise power may be held accountable to the people they serve.”