Patriotic Front Members have shot down the motion to compel the government to spell out the roadmap on the constitution making process.
During voting on the motion moved by Mazabuka Central UPND lawmaker Garry Nkombo, the opposition got 42 votes while the ruling party got 69 votes with two abstentions.
The parliamentarians staged a lengthy debate from 15:00 hours to about 21:20 hours when the results were finally announced.
It was a very emotive debate that saw the Speaker of the National Assembly bar point of orders to encourage the debate to flow and avoid disruptions.
In heightened tension Katuba Member of Parliament Jonas Shakafuswa was ejected from parliament as heckling from both sides of the house continued.
Earlier Monze Central Member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu had laid on the table of the house an article in The Post Newspapers that quoted President Michael Sata on March, 10 2007 written by George Chellah in which the then opposition leader had passionately argued for a new constitution before the 2011 elections.
Sata had argued that whether then President Levy Mwanawasa wanted it or not Zambia would have a new constitution by 2011.
Mwiimbu noted that President Sata had turned around since assuming power and had become an anti constitution advocate.
He said there were contradictions on the real status on the constitution with government officials giving different positions.
Mwiimbu said there was a cartel that had ganged up to discredit the constitution making process.
He said there were attempts to mislead the traditional leaders that lands had not been initially vested in the President.
Mwiimbu said the cartel had deliberately misled the chiefs by not telling them the whole truth on the subject and wanted to create an impression that the chiefs were being robbed of custody of land.
Mwiimbu challenged any member of the government to lay the roadmap on the table if they had it.
Lupososhi Member of Parliament Chungu Bwalya had said they were not against the constitution but wanted everybody to move at the government pace.
Southern Province Deputy Minister Daniel Munkombwe said he was not against the constitution making process but did not appreciate the process being forced on government.
He said even if it was a noble motion there was no need to force it on the government.
MMD Kasempa MP Kabinga Pande said there was no need to demonize the former ruling party MPs because they had realized their mistake and were making amends for the sake of the country.
Meanwhile there was drama during voting as the electronic system malfunctioned forcing the Speaker to order a manual voting process.
After the announcement of the results, parliament approved the motion by Vice President Guy Scott to adjourn sine die.
The Patriotic Front has gone cold on the constitution making process that they had promised to deliver within 90 days of being in power.
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