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The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has urged Members of Parliament to heed their conscience and reject the reintroduction of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025 during parliamentary sessions.
ZCCB President, Archbishop Ignitius Chama, expressed concern over reports that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, intends to call a special sitting of Parliament on October 2, 2025, to table the revised Constitution (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, Chama emphasized that constitutional reform should reflect the will of the people, not serve political expediency.
He said lawmakers should reject the maneuvers until a truly inclusive, transparent, and participatory process is undertaken.
“The Constitution Amendment process should not be compromised by expedient political interests or procedural shortcuts,” Chama said.
“We equally urge civil society, legal professionals, and faith-based institutions to demand a more transparent, merit-based, and constitutionally faithful process for judicial appointments,” he added.
Chama reaffirmed the bishops’ principled disapproval of the revised Bill No. 7 of 2025, noting that in its current form it did not uphold the foundational values of participatory democracy, transparency, and constitutional integrity.
He stressed the need to initiate a genuinely inclusive, consultative process that respects the voices of all stakeholders — citizens, civil society, faith-based institutions, traditional authorities, and legal experts.
In the spirit of constitutional fidelity and national unity, Chama also said the ongoing judicial appointments process should be reconsidered.
“The process should at all times and stages meet the standards of transparency, merit, and public accountability that our democracy demands,” he said.
“We exhort all Zambians to remain united as One Zambia One Nation in ensuring the steady growth of our young democracy for a better Zambia that will be a pride of future generations,” Chama added.
He noted that while constitutional reform was vital to strengthen democratic governance, there was a need for a holistic review anchored on broad-based citizen and stakeholder consensus.
Chama argued that the current government process fell short of the standards required for legitimacy, inclusivity, and transparency.
“It is precisely for this reason that the Constitutional Court in the case of Munir Zulu and Celestine Mukandila v Attorney General (2025/CCZ/009) 2025 ZMCC 12 found that a constitutional amendment process cannot be initiated without the participation of the people of Zambia through wide consultations and declared the process leading to Bill No. 7 of 2025 unconstitutional,” he cited.
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