Early life of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born to King Jigme

Dorji Wangchuck and Ashi Kezang Choden Wangchuck in
Dechenchholing Palace, Thimphu on 11 November 1955
corresponding to the Wood Sheep Year of the Bhutanese calendar.
He grew up with the pace of modernization and economic
development of the country which his father had set in motion.
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck in his early days with
the then Third Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
From a very young age, the Prince received Buddhist as well as
modern education from private tutors. He was then sent to St.
Joseph’s College in Darjeeling, India to continue with his
education. From there he proceeded to the United Kingdom to
study in one of the biggest schools of London. On his return to
Bhutan in 1970 he continued with his studies in Ugyen Wangchuck
Academy in Paro where he studied along with a selected group of
best students in Bhutan. This renewed his acquaintance with the
spiritual and cultural heritage of Bhutan.
He was also trained in the statecraft and the art of governance by
his father from a young age. In 1971 he was attached to his father
and consequently, a year later, he served as the first Chairperson of
the Planning Commission. Further, he also participated in the
meetings of the Lhengye Zhungtshog, the State Council.
The Prince also toured extensively with his father to the remote
pockets of Bhutan. This helped him to know the land first hand and
develop close personal bonds with the people. Thus, these visits
were useful to frame developmental plans and policies later when
he succeeded to the Golden Throne. In May 1972, he received the
post of Trongsa Penlop and made him the leader of the eastern
regions of Bhutan, Sharchog Khorlo Tsib Gyed.
Unfortunately for the young Crown Prince, Trongsa Penlop Jigme
Singye Wangchuck and the Nation, the third Druk Gyalpo’s
demise at Nairobi in Kenya on 21 July 1972. made him shoulder
the daunting responsibility of steering the Nation on the path of
progress. He was just 17 years old. On 2 June 1974 Druk Gyalpo
Jigme Singye Wangchuck was officially enthroned as the Fourth
Druk Gyalpo and became the youngest monarch in the world.
During the coronation address to the Nation, the King pledged to
serve Bhutan and its people with fidelity and to the best of ability,
which was already taking shape with institutional modernization.
The Coronation
A few days after the Crown Prince lost his father, he took the reins
of the government and the nation. At the age of 17, he became the
youngest monarch in the world to shoulder the daunting
responsibility of steering the nation on the path of progress.
Coronation of the Fourth King
In His Majesty’s Royal Proclamation to the people of Bhutan on
July 26, 1972, he announced: “A great misfortune has befallen
upon our Kingdom…In particular speaking for myself, my sorrow
in having lost my own father is indeed great…However, since all
of you have strong loyalty for me and have placed great hope in
me, from my part, I hope to serve my Kingdom and its people to
the best of my ability and with all my heart and soul…All of you
must also abandon your grief. With strong endeavors in each of our
own tasks, we must unite our minds for the sake of the strength and
progress of our country.”
The Coronation ceremony, which drew a large gathering of
international personalities to Thimphu, took place on June 2, 1974.
Since taking the oath before the Golden Buddha in the grand hall
of Tashichhodzong, the King has led a life devoted completely to
promoting the well-being of his people and safeguarding the
interests of the nation.
In his Coronation address, the King pledged to serve Bhutan and
its people with complete dedication and to the best of his ability.
His Majesty said: “As far as you, my people, are concerned, you
should not adopt the attitude that whatever is required to be done
for your welfare will be done entirely by the government. On the
contrary, a little effort on your part will be much more effective
than a great deal of effort on the part of the government.”
Just a year before his demise, His Late Majesty was heard to
proclaim, “If I were to make a prayer, I would ask that during my
son’s reign the people of my country would be far more prosperous
and happy than they are today.” In the last two and a half decades,
this wish has most certainly been fulfilled for Bhutan has treaded
so far along the path of progress guided by the development
philosophy of Gross National Happiness.
When His Majesty became King, he desired, as his father had
before him, to open and modernize the country in a cautious
manner. This was to be done by developing industry, agriculture,
hydroelectricity and other infrastructure so that the standard of
living of the people could be improved. His Majesty also desired to
foster a balanced society by promoting tradition, culture and the
preservation of the environment.
The King’s forefathers once fought historic battles that held the
country together. Through his own efforts at international
diplomacy, the young King was able to further enhance the
sovereignty of the nation. As a policy author and development
strategist, he has steered the country firmly toward the national
objectives of economic self-reliance, cultural promotion, regionally
balanced development, environmental preservation, good
governance, and decentralization.
His Majesty is a very meticulous and hard-working man, with
boundless energy and a seamless ability to transform his vision
into reality. During royal audiences, people were invariably moved
by his charisma and insight into and understanding of complex
international issues.
The simplicity of His Majesty’s personal life has amazed both
Bhutanese and non-Bhutanese alike. His office is modest, like that
of any ordinary civil servant. He lives in austere surroundings – a
cluster of log cabins in a pine forest, euphemistically known as
Samtenling Palace – rejecting extravagant proposal by the National
Assembly to construct a new building to serve as the Royal Palace
Foreign Relations of Bhutan
His Majesty the King is widely traveled and has paid state visits to
a number of countries, particularly while attending meetings of the
Non-Aligned States and the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation.
The realization of Bhutan’s geo-strategic importance between two
Asian giants – China and India – has provided profound and
continual impact on its foreign policy.
Bhutan raised its representation in India to the ambassadorial level
in 1971. Later, on August 8, 1978, the name of its diplomatic
office in New Delhi was changed from Royal Bhutan Mission to
Royal Bhutan Embassy to further reflect its sovereign status. In
1980, the Royal Bhutan Embassy was established in Dhaka, the
capital of Bangladesh. Bhutanese residential diplomatic missions
are located in New Delhi, UN Headquarters in New York, UN
Offices in Geneva, Kuwait, Bangkok and Dhaka. Only India and
Bangladesh have their embassies in Thimphu.
Diplomatic relations with all of the South Asian countries as well
as several countries in the Middle East and Europe were also
instituted. The Austrian Coordination Bureau, Canadian Office,
Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), German
Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Swiss Association for
International Cooperation (HELVETAS), Netherlands
Development Organization (SNV), United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization
(WHO) maintain their resident representatives in Thimphu.
Bhutan became the member of Economic & Social Commission
for Asia & Pacific (ESCAP) in 1972. In 1973, Bhutan joined the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Membership in the NAM
ensured the “national independence, sovereignty, territorial
integrity and security of non-aligned countries” in their “struggle
against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid,
racism and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation,
domination, interference as well as against bloc politics.”
In December 1985, Bhutan became a founding member of the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) that
provides a platform for the people of South Asia to work together
in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding.
As a member of more than 150 international organizations Bhutan
is no more an isolated nation. With sound foreign relations and the
farsighted leadership of His Majesty the Fourth King, Bhutan has
been able to experience rapid socio-economic progress while at the
same time preserve the unique identity of the nation. Guided by its
development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, Bhutan has
always drawn a clear line between modernization and
westernization.
Empowering the people
His Majesty is one of those conscientious leaders who believes that
service to the people comes before everything else. He regularly
traveled to each of the Kingdom’s 20 districts, meeting with both
people and their representatives, in order to discuss development
priorities and needs.
 The People
Over the last quarter of the century Bhutanese society has come to
depend greatly on His Majesty’s immense leadership abilities.
Interestingly, he has always steered the country toward a system of
governance that is not dependent on a single individual, saying that
such dependence is “the main drawback of a monarchy.”
His Majesty introduced a program of political change early in his
reign in order to reform the system in a measured and cautious
way. Programs of both administrative and political decentralization
were initiated as soon as His Majesty ascended the throne. In 1981,
Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu (District Development Committee),
consisting of elected members, was established to decide on the
development priorities of individual districts.
In 1991 the process was taken a step further with the establishment
of Gewog Yargay Tshogchung (Block Development Committee).
These bodies work to promote the democratic processes by giving
the responsibilities of decision making to the people at the
grassroots level. These bodies became the forum for the people to
participate in the decision making process responsibly and voice
out their needs and priorities.
The greatest leap in the process of devolution of power took place
in June 1998. His Majesty commanded the National Assembly to
elect a Council of Ministers by secret ballot. He directed the
National Assembly to devise a new system that would introduce a
vote of confidence in the King. The year is a landmark in the
history of Bhutan as the reins of governance was handed over to
the new cabinet of elected Council of Ministers.
The Royal Kasho (edict) issued by His Majesty during the 76th
session of the Tshogdu Chhenmo reads: “It has been my endeavor
to encourage and prepare our people to participate actively and
fully in the decision making process of our country…The time has
now come to promote even greater people’s participation in the
decision making process. Our country must be ensured to always
have a system of government which enjoys the mandate of the
people, provides clean and efficient governance and also an inbuilt
mechanism of checks and balances to safeguard our national
interests and security. As an important step towards achieving this
goal, the Lhengye Zhungtshog, should now be restructured into an
elected Council of Ministers that is vested with full executive
powers to provide efficient and effective governance of our
country.”
With this edict a six-member Cabinet was voted to power by the
Tshogdu for a term of five years to be guided by the Chathrim
endorsed by the National Assembly. The devolution of power with
initiative from the Throne is exemplary. It will without doubt
remain a milestone in the history of Bhutan and the world. This is a
gift from the wise King to his people.
The people and the National Assembly did not know what to
expect of these major political changes. There were strong feelings
against the changes as the people wished His Majesty would
remain as the head of the government as well as the state. But the
Royal edict was irrevocable and the changes were implemented.
His Majesty ceased to be the head of the government, although to
the relief of the people, he has retained the challenging
responsibilities of dealing with the sovereignty and security of the
country.

The Constitution of Bhutan

“Bhutan must move with the time to ensure that the nation not only
overcomes all internal and external threats, but continues to
prosper in an atmosphere of peace and stability,” was the address
of Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck on 30 November 2001
during the launching ceremony of the drafting of the Constitution.
Under the Chairmanship of Lyonpo Sonam Tobgay, the Chief
Justice and the guidance and inspiration of the Fourth Druk
Gyalpo, the Constitution Drafting Committee endeavored to draft
the sacred document. The constitution of more than 50 countries
and other materials and resources were referred for the task.
The first draft of the Constitution was submitted to Druk Gyalpo
Jigme Singye Wangchuck on 9 December 2002. Ensuing this, His
Majesty briefed the Lhengye Zhungtshog on 21 March 2005: “The
adoption of the Constitution will provide the legal framework for a
democratic, political system that is best suited for Bhutan and will
establish a system of governance that will safeguard the security
and sovereignty of the nation and ensure the well- being of the
Bhutanese people for all times to come.”
On 26 March 2005, the Draft Constitution was released and its
website launched. After incorporating the comments of the public,
the simplified draft Constitution was circulated on 18 August 2005.
Further, in 2005 and 2006, the King also took the Constitution to
all the 20 Dzongkhags for public consultations and for the
refinement of the sacred document.
The Constitution development process was a unique in that it was
initiated from the Throne. This brainchild of the Druk Gyalpo, the
Constitution of Bhutan is a special gift to his people. The
Constitution will empower the people with their Fundamental
Rights. They are also made more responsible with their
Fundamental Duties. It also provides the legal framework and
systems to ensure sovereignty of the nation, unity, happiness and
well-being of the people as well as unfettered justice to the people.
Further, the Constitution ensures the preservation and promotion of
spiritual and cultural heritage. Most important, the Bhutanese
Constitution offers a framework for realizing a government that is
representative and is in the best interest of its people.
The drafting of the Constitution for the kingdom of Bhutan is an
exemplary stride towards democracy. In many countries the
changes in the system of governments were brought externally
through revolution and public strife. However, the Bhutanese are
fortunate since the change came as a gift to the people of Bhutan
from the Throne. The Constitution was offered to the people at a
time when the country enjoyed unparalleled peace and stability
with total harmony and unshakable fidelity between the King and
the people.
At the forefront of action
Geographical location of Bhutan provided a safe haven for the
militants from across the southern border. The country had been a
hideout to the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the
National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Kamtapur
Liberation Organisation (KLO). These insurgents who were up in
arms against the Indian Government had established several bases
in the Bhutanese forests. ULFA had 8 camps with 1560 militants,
KLO had 3 camps with 430 militants and the NDFB had 9 camps
with 1740 militants.
Military Flushout
The life of the Bhutanese and their movement became unsafe and
several Bhutanese citizens lost their life. Developmental activities
along the border areas almost came to a halt. It also threatened the
centuries old Indo-Bhutanese relationship. In view of the threat to
the national security, the 78th session of the National Assembly in
July 2000 deliberated on the issue and concluded for a peaceful
dialogue to convince the insurgents to leave the Bhutanese soil.
Curtailing ration supplies and other necessities and taking legal
action on all the Bhutanese supporting or helping the insurgents
were recommended as alternatives should peaceful dialogues fail.
Following the recommendations of the National Assembly, the
Bhutanese Government invited the insurgents to several round of
talks. When all aspirations for a peaceful negotiation with the
militants failed, a deadline for the militants to leave Bhutan was set
for 31 December 2001. As a response to this deadline the ULFA
and NDFB insurgents demolished some of their camps but
established new camps in more inaccessible areas of Samdrup
Jongkhar region. This indicated that the rebels had no intention to
leave Bhutan.
The persistent requests of the Indian Government to drive out the
insurgents on the one hand and the refusal of the militants to
demolish their camps in Bhutan despite several requests of the
Bhutanese Government gave considerations of a military
operation. As a last resort, the Druk Gyalpo toured the country and
visited all the 20 Dzongkhags explaining to the people about the
threat caused to the Bhutanese security and sovereignty by the
presence of insurgents in Bhutan. The last ultimatum to the
insurgents to leave the Bhutanese soil appeared in the national
newspaper, Kuensel on 13 December 2003 but to no avail. It
became apparent then that Bhutan had no other choice but to take
up arms and launch a military strike against the insurgents. The
fateful day was 15 December 2003.
Operation Flush Out was led by the 4th Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye
Wangchuck himself. Following the King’s footsteps was Prince
Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck. The aim of the operation was to destroy
all the camps and flush out the militants from the southern pockets
of Samtse, Kalikhola, Sarpang, Nganglam, Samdrup Jongkhar,
Bhangtar and Daifam. To the happiness of the Bhutanese and the
astonishment of the skeptic world, the militants were flushed out in
a span of three days. Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck is
perhaps the only King of our times who has led his army into a
battlefield. This event perhaps best illustrates the character of the
4th King, a King who willingly put his life to risk for the sake of
national security and future of the Bhutanese people.
Glimpses of the major contributions of Druk Gyalpo Jigme
Singye Wangchuck
From the beginning His Majesty has shown a deep understanding
of the social, cultural and economic needs of the country. The King
redefined the entire economic development policies, plans and
programmes and directed them towards the needs of the rural
population. In the sphere of domestic policies, His Majesty the
King stressed the realization of the following substantial
objectives:
* Achieving economic self-reliance and well being of the people.
* Creation of essential infrastructure in all spheres of development.
* Developing human resources.
* Striking a balance between modernization, development, values
and cultural heritage.
* Creation of an effective social integration programme and of a
single harmonious society.
* Achieving development plans and goals with the active
participation of the people.
The five guiding principles of Bhutan’s development to meet the
above objectives are the following:
* Economic self-reliance
* Environmental preservation
* Balanced development
* Decentralization and devolution
* Cultural preservation
1.Bhutan joins NAM
Bhutan joined the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1973. The
NAM evolved into a forum to ensure the national independence,
sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned
countries against imperialism, colonialism, apartheid, racism and
all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination,
interference, and power blocs. At the sixth NAM summit in
Havana, Cuba, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck declared
that Bhutan’s non-alignment policy is based on “our determination
not to align ourselves with one bloc and to hate the other, or to
play power politics with both”. At the NAM summit in 1976 His
Majesty said that the ever increasing expenditure on weapons of
mass destruction is a vicious cycle, leading mankind ever closer to
disaster.
2. Gross National Happiness
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck famously declared, in an
interview with the Indian media in 1979, that Gross National
Happiness (GNH) is more important than Gross National Product”
(GDP). In 1986 the Financial Times of London ran an article titled
“Gross National Happiness”, making the concept known to the
western world for the first time. GNH has today become the
guiding philosophy of Bhutan’s socio-economic development. The
concept of GNH is based on the premise that true development of
human society takes place when material and spiritual
development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each
other. GNH comprises four pillars: economic self-reliance,
environmental preservation, cultural promotion, and good
governance which are interwoven, complementary, and consistent.
They embody national and local values, aesthetics, and spiritual
traditions. Today, the GNH philosophy is much emulated around
the world.
3. DYT formed
Decentralization has been the driving force of major reforms
during the reign of the Fourth King. In 1981, the Dzongkhag
Yargye Tshogchung (DYT) or the District Development
Committee was established, shifting the policy making decisions
from the centre to the 20 districts of Bhutan. The Dzongda, sector
heads and Gups represent the people at the DYT which is guided
by a Chathrim. The formation of DYT gave greater role and
participation to the people in drawing up and implementing
development plans. It also ensured the successful implementation
of plans enhancing rural livelihood, prosperity and bringing about
uniformity in socio-economic development. With the participation
of the people in formulating the plans the people identify
themselves with the plan and take greater responsibilities.
4. Royal Civil Service Commission
Till 1982, Bhutan did not have a Public Commission to recruit civil
servants to take up the various jobs in the country. The King
realized that the recruitment of civil servants was becoming more
complicated and therefore appointed the Royal Civil Service
Commission. It recruits personnel for various civil service posts
and is headed by a Secretary, appointed by the King. The
Commission also conducts the Civil Service Examinations for
Graduates and accordingly places graduates found qualified for
various posts. The practice of selecting Engineers through
Examinations is also included.
5. Bhutan Becomes Founding Member of SAARC
Bhutan became a founding member of the South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985. SAARC was formed
as a non-political forum to create cooperation among its members
comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka. It provides a platform for the people of South Asia
to strive towards socio-economic progress in a spirit of friendship,
trust and understanding. Underscoring the rationale for regional
cooperation in South Asia, His Majesty said at the first SAARC
summit in 1985: “We have to bear in mind that inspite of all our
heterogeneity, we are geographically one homogeneous unit, that
our peoples have lived together in peace and friendship for
countless centuries, and that they share many values rooted in our
common past.”
6. Chhukha Hydropower Project Commissioned
The construction of Bhutan’s first mega power project, the 336
MW Chhukha hydro-electric project on Wangchu river began in
the 70s. The Nu. 2,460 million turnkey power plant was funded by
the Government of India which provided a 60 percent grants and
40 percent loan at 5 percent per annum repayable in 15 years in
equated annual installments. The first repayment was to be made 3
years after each withdrawal of the loan. The project was
successfully commissioned in 1986 but the project was handed
over to Bhutanese management only in June 1991. The
beneficiaries of the hydro plant outside Bhutan are West Bengal,
Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim and Damodar Valley Corporation
(DVC) of India. A large portion of the power generated is exported
to India. Till Tala hydropower project was commissioned Chhukha
was the biggest contributor to Bhutan’s exchequer. The National
Revenue Report of 2005-2006 reveals that Chukha Hydropower
contributed Nu. 2,092.682 million which is 30.01% to the total
revenue of Bhutan. The receipt during the year showed an increase
of 8.75% or Nu. 168.395 million from the previous year’s
collection.
7. GYT – Decentralization Gathers Momentum
The establishment of the DYT provided the framework for the
establishment of Gewog Yargye Tshogchung (GYT) in 1991. His
Majesty envisaged the gewog as the centers where all future plans
would emanate. The gewogs would themselves be responsible for
the implementation and realization of development activities. The
GYT is guided by the chathrim that spells out the responsibility of
the members, criteria for eligibility, meeting procedures,
administrative and financial powers. Headed by the Gup and
assisted by Mangap, Tshogpas, and Chipons, the office bearers are
elected by the villagers through a secret ballot. The Gup has been
accorded with financial powers to realize the decentralization
objectives. They are empowered to collect and retain taxes which
include house tax, land tax, cattle and grazing tax. The government
pays salary to the village representatives.
8. Devolution of Power
The greatest leap in the process of devolution of power took place
in June 1998 when His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck
dissolved the existing cabinet and delegated executive powers to
an elected Council of Ministers. The Royal Kasho issued to the
76th session of the National Assembly stated: “Our country must
have a system of government, which enjoys the mandate of the
people, provides clean and efficient government and has an in-built
mechanism of checks and balances to safeguard our national
interests and security.” Accordingly a six-member Cabinet was
voted to power by the Assembly for a term of five years. The
government would be headed by the Prime Minister, a post that is
rotated among the ministers after a term of one year. The
exemplary devolution of power with the initiative from the Throne
is unprecedented.
9. Drafting of Constitution begins
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck commanded the drafting of
Bhutan’s first ever constitution on 30 November 2001. Under the
Chairmanship of Lyonpo Sonam Tobgay, the Chief Justice, the
Constitution Drafting Committee referred to the constitutions of
more than 50 countries and submitted the first draft to the Druk
Gyalpo on 9 December 2002. The king declared before the
Lhengye Zhungtshog on 21 March 2005 that “The adoption of the
Constitution will provide the legal framework for a democratic,
political system that is best suited for Bhutan and will establish a
system of governance that will safeguard the security and
sovereignty of the nation and ensure the wellbeing of the
Bhutanese people for all times to come.” In March 2005, the draft
constitution was released to the public, following which
consultations with the people in all the 20 districts took place.
10. Militants flushed out of Bhutanese soil
Bhutan had become a hideout to the militant outfits from across the
border like the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the
National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Kamtapur
Liberation Organisation (KLO). The presence of the insurgents
posed a serious threat to the national security and endangered the
lives of the people. Repeated requests and dialogues held to make
the militants leave the Bhutanese soil peacefully failed. As a last
resort, in December 2003, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck
personally led the Bhutanese forces in an operation aimed at
forcefully evicting them from their hideouts in the jungles of
southern Bhutan. The operation was a great success; the militants
were flushed out in an incredibly short span of three days.
11. Tala Project commissioned
Power from the Rs 4,124-crore Tala project started flowing into
India with the commissioning of the six units of the 1,020-MW
project. The project on the Wangchu river, downstream of the
operational Chukha hydroelectric project, was funded by the
Indian Government with 60 per cent of the cost as grant and 40 per
cent as loan at 9% interest. The total energy output is pegged at
4,865 million units in an average year. The project includes a 92-
metre-high concrete dam, a 22.2-km-long head race tunnel, and an
underground power house with six generating units of 170 MW
each, and three 440 kV single-circuit transmission lines to the
India-Bhutan border. A bilateral agreement for the execution of the
project was signed in mid-1996, and construction kicked-off in
October 1996.
The Future
His Majesty had the following words to say after announcing his
decision to abdicate from the throne. “In taking note of the
progress that our nation has made over the past thirty four years, I
would like to state that whatever we have achieved so far is due to
the merit of the people of Bhutan.” His Majesty has also repeatedly
reminded that “the future of the nation lies in the hands of the
people.”
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck has not only ushered a
brave new age for Bhutan, but empowered and nurtured a
population ready to reap the benefits of an unprecedented era of
peace, liberty, justice, and wellbeing for all Bhutanese people.
Stepping into such hallowed shoes should be daunting for most
young men but not for His Majesty Jigme Khesar.
Already, the Fifth King of Bhutan has covered every district in this
rugged and beautiful land, investing a great deal of time and
sincere effort studying the needs of people from all walks of life,
deliberating on the new draft constitution for democratic changes
in government, and listening to what the people have to say. The
new democratic government, in that sense, will be the shared
legacy of two kings