Oct. 19
ZAMBIA:
'Citizens Will Decide On Death Penalty'
The decision on whether to abolish the death penalty will only be made
through the recommendations of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC),
Vice-President Lupando Mwape has said.
Government has however, pledged to provide all the required instruments to
ensure that human rights were provided to all people in the country as the
matter of the death sentence was one of the terms of reference for the
CRC.
Mr Mwape said this when an Italian delegation of parliamentarians and
human rights activists led by Senator Enrico Pianetta who is the President
of the Commission for the Promotion of Human Rights, paid a courtesy call
on him at his office yesterday.
"We take human rights issues very seriously and in appreciation, the
Government formed the CRC and it is through the review that the citizenry
will decide whether to uphold the death penalty or have it in the new
Constitution," he said.
He hailed the cooperation with civil society groups and the church adding
that it was important that Government reviewed all the bad laws and meets
the required standards of human rights in the Constitution.
He said high levels of poverty and its off-shoots such as HIV/AIDS, had
negatively affected the country's growth and called for Italian investment
in key economic sectors such as health, tourism and infrastructure
development.
Mr Mwape also said it was vital that infrastructure in the outlying areas
was revamped to attract foreign investment.
He said the current trend of concentrating investment along the line of
rail would create an imbalance in the growth of the economy compared to
rural areas where investment was negative.
He said the relations between Zambia and Italy were cordial adding that
President Mwanawasa had recently sworn in the new ambassador to that
country as a symbol of consolidated relations and called for increased
cooperation.
Senator Pianetta who was flanked by Italian ambassador to Zambia, Tulio
Guma, was confident that with the determination of Mr Mwanawasa's
Government, coupled with good economic policies, Zambia would be able to
redeem the citizens from misery.
He said human rights promotion was significant to any country's growth and
pledged Italy's support towards the goal.
He said Italy would play its role to help stimulate growth in key sectors,
and cited tourism and agriculture.
Earlier, the delegation also paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs
Minister Kalombo Mwansa and later, on Solicitor General Sunday Nkonde.
At the Ministry of Foreign affairs, the delegation urged Zambia to join
the global campaign against death sentence and other forms of ill
legislation, which were against human rights.
Mr Pianetta said Italy was interested in the current Constitution review
process, which would tackle several areas such as electoral reforms and
parliamentary reforms.
And Mr Nkonde told the Italian delegation during his meeting at the
Ministry of Justice that Government was addressing legal technicalities
effectively.
He said deplorable conditions of prisons were a source of worry in Zambia.
He said since President Mwanawasa had given the undertaking that he would
not sign any death warrant for prisoners on the death row, Government had
sparked off a debate through the CRC for the citizens to decide on the
matter.
Mr Nkonde said although the law in Zambia still provided for the death
sentence, no prisoners had been hanged for a long time now.
The delegation is today expected to visit Mukobeko maximum prison in
Kabwe.
(source: The Times of Zambia)
