Desperate to divert people’s attention from demanding the release of the draft constitution to the public government has bandied another theory that champions of the constitution making process have been paid to do so.
Barely 24 hours after respectable organizations under the Oasis Forum announced that they have directed all churches under their umbrella to demand for the constitution every Sunday; Information Minister Mwansa Kapeya has said they were paid to do so.
The Oasis Forum comprises the Zambia Episcopal Conference, Council of Churches of Zambia, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, Non Governmental Organization Coordinating Council and the Law Association of Zambia.
Below is the full statement:
Republic of Zambia
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services
STATEMENT BY HON. MWANSA KAPEYA, MP, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON ON POLITICIANS FUNDING THE CRUSADE TO EMBARRASS AND HUMILIATE THE GOVERNMENT ON THE ONGOING CONSTITUTION MAKING PROCESS
Government is aware that the recent crusade on the constitution making process is being bank-rolled by politicians.
Government is in possession of credible information that money from well known political parties and leaders has exchanged hands to fund the current campaign on the constitution making process.
Identifiable politicians have released these funds to specific civil society leaders to champion this cause.
If pushed too far, we shall name and shame the culprits involved as well as show the trail of how these funds were channelled for this purpose.
As Government, we wonder where this desperation is emanating from if truly the proponents of this campaign are genuine.
Indeed, it is regrettable that such a noble process has been hijacked by certain political elements and selfish individuals whose objective is to embarrass, humiliate and politically undermine the sovereign will of the people.
We would like to assure the Zambian people that Government will not surrender this dignified process to opportunistic and reckless individuals with concealed motives.
Be comforted that we are alert and the current political schemes and ill-intentions over this process will not go unchecked.
We shall defend and protect the interests of the masses from those that have hijacked this decent process.
As Government, we are convinced that the constitution making process can only succeed if it is devoid of narrow partisan and sectoral interests.
Hon. Mwansa Kapeya, MP
MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
9th January, 2014
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