2 March 2006
MINISTER of Justice, George Kunda, has maintained that there will be no short cuts in the formulation of a new Constitution despite the Government agreeing to hold a Constituent Assembly.
Mr Kunda, who is also Attorney General, told Parliament during debate on the 2006 estimates for his ministry that a national census and referendum would have to be conducted as required by the law.
"While the Government has committed itself to the Constituent Assembly as demanded by the people, there will be no short cuts as a census and a referendum has to be held as required by the Constitution," he said.
He said a non-partisan committee was already in place to determine how the Constituent Assembly would be constituted and advise on the final implications.
He told the House that the Government would also look at the recommendations made in the Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) though all the demands might not be implemented this year.
Government was committed to the holding of free and fair elections and Mr Kunda said his ministry was working on various reforms meant to deliver justice to the people.
Lawyers trained by the Government would be bonded for three years while conditions of service would be revised in order to retain them.
Mr Kunda said a legal aid fund would also be established alongside a board.
Private legal practitioners would be expected to make contribution towards the legal aid fund.
A national prosecutions authority would also be set up and would operate as an autonomous body.
The minister assured the House that law reforms spearheaded by his ministry would continue and Bills such as the one on terrorism, judicial conduct and one against discrimination against women would be presented to Parliament for consideration.
A data bank for all agreements entered into by the Government would also be opened at the ministry of Justice.
Mr Kunda said the Office of the Administrator-General had taken over the receivership of Roan Antelope Mining of Zambia to reduce costs.
And contributing to the debate, Mangango MP Crispin Shumina (UPND) said the Government was not doing much to protect people's human rights.
He urged the Government to implement the 50 plus one per cent vote recommendation before dissolving Parliament.
-Parliament heard last evening that the Government has maintained the Zambia Social Investment Fund (ZAMSIF) and has in this year's Budget set aside K8.2 billion for the Fund.
Finance and National Planning Minister, Ng'andu Magande, said it was the Government's intention to continue with ZAMSIF taking into account the successes scored through the initiative.
In his policy debate on the vote for Loans and Investments and for his ministry, Mr Magande told the House that Government would continue courting donors to supplement the Fund.
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