JCTR WARNS UPND GOVT AGAINST WEAKENING OPPOSITION TO MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE CHECKS AND BALANCES

 The Jesuit Center for Theological Reflection–JCTR is worried that Zambia has continued on a trajectory of weakening opposition political parties thereby affecting the quality of checks and balances to the government.

In an interview with Phoenix News JCTR Executive Director Father Alex Muyebe says successive ruling parties, including the UPND, entrench themselves through dominating the National Assembly in order to advance their agenda.

He is worried that this creates a lack of checks and balances in the national assembly at a time when ongoing challenges require a vibrant and dynamic democratic dispensation where the party in government, the opposition and independent members of parliament are well represented in the National Assembly to address national matters.

Father Muyebe has advised the ruling party, which has repeatedly denied any meddling into opposition political party’s affairs that governance of the country only works well if the National Assembly has divergent views which are embraced.

The JCTR Executive Director has since warned the UPND party not to become too comfortable and focus on dominating the National Assembly as this may lead to their downfall, derailing the general citizenry.