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President Hakainde Hichilema has assented into law the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No.7 of 2025, declaring that the constitutional debate was over and urging Zambians to move forward in unity and focus on national development.
The National Assembly unanimously passed the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No.7 of 2025 after it secured the required two-thirds majority.
President Hichilema assented to the Bill during a ceremony held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Thursday.
The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution by revising the composition of the National Assembly, increasing constituency-based seats from 156 to 211 in line with the delimitation report by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
It also revises the electoral system for elections to the National Assembly to provide for a mixed-member proportional representation system for women, youths and persons with disabilities.
Further amendments include revisions to provisions on the filing of fresh nominations following the resignation of a candidate, by-elections, the number of nominated Members of Parliament, and the harmonisation of the term of Parliament to achieve a five-year term.
The Bill also provides for a vacancy in the Office of Minister and Provincial Minister 90 days before a general election, removes the two-term limit for the offices of mayor and council chairperson, and revises the composition of councils to include Members of Parliament holding constituency-based seats.
Other provisions revise the qualifications for appointment to the office of Secretary to the Cabinet, allow the Attorney General and Solicitor General to remain in office after a general election until new office bearers are appointed, and revise the definitions of the terms “child” and “adult”.
The Bill further seeks to clarify the period within which election petitions must be concluded and to provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.
Addressing the nation, President Hichilema said the country must move forward.
“Let’s continue building our country. Together we move on, we soldier on to deliver a Zambia citizens deserve. I must say that I know some people have not moved on after losing the 2021 elections. Let them wake up from the dream — this is reality,” he said.
The President urged citizens to embrace the constitutional reforms, saying they were meant to serve the interests of both present and future generations.
“Back to school. Let’s buy the extra desks because more kids are enrolling for school, end load shedding so that salons and barbershops can operate normally, and continue with development on inclusion and progress,” he said.
President Hichilema called for unity, saying differences should be set aside for the greater good.
“Let’s advance love and it will deal with hatred,” he said.
He also emphasized the need to address climate change through increased investment in irrigation agriculture to ensure food security.
“We want to make sure that rain or no rain, in a couple of years from now, we will have invested enough in irrigation agriculture so that if the rain fails us, we will still irrigate and have food security,” President Hichilema said.
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