Group bemoans lack of clear road map by political parties to amend Rights Bill

Democratic Governance and Human Rights Advocates (DEGHA) says it is concerned with lack of political will to strengthen the rights bill by political formations participating in the upcoming general election.

Zambia’s last attempt to amend the Bill of Rights through a referendum was in 2016 when referendum results did not meet the two thirds majority threshold.

DEGHA National Coordinator Gerald Mutelo said as the country approached the 2026 general elections, no political party participating in this year’s elections so far had clearly committed itself to initiating a referendum aimed at amending the Constitution to fully include and protect Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, lack of education and poor access to healthcare continue to affect many communities.

“All political parties participating in the 2026 elections should publicly commit themselves to constitutional reforms that will include Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,” he stated in statement issued on Wednesday in Kitwe.

Mutelo advised that government should begin a broad stakeholder consultations on the need for a referendum to amend the constitution.

“Civil society organisations, churches, youth groups and citizens to advocate for constitutional protection of social and economic rights,” he stated.

Mutelo emphasized the need for Parliament and policymakers to ensure that rights such as free education were not left as policy pronouncements only, but legally protected constitutional guarantees.

DEGHA believes that constitutionalising Economic, Social and Cultural Rights would strengthen accountability, equality and social justice in Zambia.

The organisation further stressed that access to education should not depend on which government was in power, but must be recognised as a permanent constitutional right for every Zambian child.

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