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Some members of the opposition have attacked the outcomes of parliamentary debates that have birthed Bill 7, now waiting for assent by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Parliament passed Bill 7 with 135 members voting in favour.
The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) spokesperson, Anthony Chibuye, criticised the outcome, describing it as an attack on the constitution through alleged executive corruption and the betrayal of Members of Parliament.
“Bill 7 regardless of today’s outcome remains illegal and an instrument of giving Hichilema and the UPND the use of tribalism to stay in power. Today’s vote will surely haunt those who defied logic and chose tribe and money,” Chibuye said in response to a press query on Monday.
Similarly, Patriotic Front (PF) presidential contender, Makebi Zulu, called the passage a direct assault on Zambia’s constitutional order and a dangerous precedent for democratic governance. He accused Parliament of acting in “open defiance” of the Constitutional Court’s rulings.
“Those who swore an oath to defend the Constitution have instead chosen political convenience over principle, power over prudence, and partisan instructions over their duty to the Republic,” Zulu said.
Read More: Bill 7 passed! An analysis of how it may reshape Zambia’s democracy
He also criticised the Speaker of the National Assembly for what he described as a “disgraceful display” of celebration following the bill’s passage, calling it “lawlessness, immaturity, and a first in the Commonwealth.”
Advocates for Democratic Governance Foundation (ADEG) Executive Director, Gideon Musonda, said President Hichilema should allow for deeper reflection and a genuinely participatory process after the 2026 General Elections.
“If assented to in its current form, the Bill risks entrenching constitutional changes that may have far-reaching and irreversible ramifications on governance and public trust in constitutional reform processes,” Musonda warned.
He added that the process so far had fallen short of standards of inclusivity, transparency, and broad-based national consensus.
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