LAZ changes stance on referendum, now supports it

The Law Association of Zambia has backed the proposed Bill of Rights and has called on Zambians to vote yes to the referendum.

LAZ President Linda Kasonde told a media briefing in Lusaka that the rights provided by the proposed Bill of Rights has added new civil and political rights such as the Right to Privacy, Access to Information, Freedom of the media among others which she said are desperately needed by the majority of Zambians.

Kasonde said despite reservations about the manner in which the referendum question has been phrased and the timing, LAZ is alive to the fact that due to unpredictable and inconsistent positions taken by successive governments in the constitution making process in Zambia, the nation may not have another opportunity to realise the benefit of an enhanced Bill of Rights as proposed in the gazette notice 23rd May 2016 in the near future.

She said this is the reason why the association is taking the position that the country should seize the opportunity that rights be enhanced.

Kasonde has further called on government and all stakeholders to urgently embark on sensitizing the public on the contents of the proposed bill of rights and the proposed amendments to article 79 of the constitution as the nation gets closer to election date.

The Law Association of Zambia, the Grand Coalition and the Oasis Forum are some of the organisations that have consistently campaigned against holding the referendum alongside the August 11 polls.