Civil society groups cast doubt on credibility of Bill 7 consultations, allege citizens being paid to endorse submissions

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has accused the Technical Committee on the Constitution amendment process of allegedly paying citizens to sign off written submissions they do not understand.

The CSOs raised alarm over the ongoing public consultations being conducted by the Technical Committee, which is mandated to gather citizens’ views and draft proposed amendments to Zambia’s Constitution.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday, the group said the current constitutional reform process was “fundamentally flawed, restrictive, and inconsistent with the principles of transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and genuine public participation.”

“We, however, have encouraged citizens to make submissions to the Technical Committee so that their views are on record,” the statement read.

The organisations said their monitors and stakeholders observed several irregularities during the consultations, casting doubt on the process’s legitimacy and credibility.

“From 27th to 29th October 2025, the undersigned Civil Society Organisations and partners monitored the Technical Committee consultations in Eastern, Northern, Central, Western, and North-Western Provinces,” the group stated.

According to the CSOs, most citizens were unaware of the ongoing consultations due to inadequate publicity and poor dissemination of information.

They added that there appeared to be no clear or consistent procedural guidelines governing the Committee’s engagement with citizens.

“In several instances, citizens were subjected to leading or suggestive questioning, which appeared to pressure them into altering their initial positions. In other cases, individual submissions were opened up for discussion by members of the audience, resulting in undue influence and changes to the original views expressed,” the statement read.

The CSOs further alleged that the Committee had not been consistent in communicating the venues of its sittings, often giving very short notice that made it difficult for citizens to plan and participate meaningfully.

They also highlighted the absence of decentralised and accessible platforms for citizens to submit their views, particularly at district and ward levels.

“Hearings have not consistently provided translation or interpretation services, excluding a significant portion of citizens who do not communicate in English,” the CSOs said.

As the Technical Committee proceeds with consultations in Southern, Luapula, Copperbelt, and Muchinga provinces, the CSOs urged it to revise its approach and uphold the principles of participation, inclusivity, transparency, and integrity essential to a credible constitutional reform process.

They further called on the Committee to take immediate steps to restore public confidence by expanding participation and ensuring that no citizen is left behind in shaping Zambia’s constitutional future.

The signatories to the statement include the Advocates for Democratic Governance Foundation, Alliance for Community Action (ACA), Chapter One Foundation, Christian Churches Monitoring Group, Free Press Initiative, Media Institute of Southern Africa–Zambia (MISA Zambia), Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), and the Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD).

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