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The Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has announced that it would not make submissions to the Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendments, citing serious concerns over the legitimacy and inclusiveness of the ongoing review process.
Public consultations by the Technical Committee are scheduled to run from October 27 to November 13, 2025.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, NGOCC Board Chairperson, Beauty Katebe, said the decision was based on the organisation’s deep reservations about the intent and structure of the current constitutional review exercise.
Katebe said the process was a continuation of the widely rejected Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025 (Bill 7), describing it as “premeditated and potentially geared toward a predetermined outcome.”
“NGOCC had previously urged the Government to withdraw Bill 7 and establish a transparent, genuinely consultative, and broad-based process that reflects the voices of all stakeholders,” she said.
She added that the constitutional review appeared narrowly focused on the forthcoming 2026 General Elections, rather than fostering a durable constitutional order.
“Constitutional reform should transcend electoral cycles and aim to build a stable governance framework that promotes justice, equity, and inclusion for all citizens,” she said.
Katebe further argued that the Technical Committee lacked legitimacy and adequate representation, noting that members were appointed in their individual capacities rather than as official representatives of key institutions.
“There is also a noticeable absence of youth and persons with disabilities—key demographics whose voices are vital to any credible reform process,” she said.
Katebe said the Committee’s Terms of Reference placed undue emphasis on political and electoral matters at the expense of socio-economic rights, which undermined the potential for meaningful reform.
“Given these unresolved concerns, NGOCC finds the current process politically motivated, election-centric, and devoid of genuine inclusivity. Consequently, we shall not participate in the Technical Committee’s consultation process,” she declared.
Katebe urged Zambians to reject what she termed a flawed and exclusionary process, reaffirming NGOCC’s commitment to advocating for reforms that promote representation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in decision-making spaces.
Meanwhile, Citizens First (CF) leader, Harry Kalaba, also expressed concern over the Technical Committee’s approach, saying it had failed to consult citizens at district level before moving to provincial and national consultations.
Kalaba said the omission defeats the very purpose of the Committee, which was to consult the people and draft amendments reflecting broad-based input.
“The Technical Committee’s approach goes against the spirit and guidance of the Constitutional Court, which previously ruled that the process leading to Bill 7 was unconstitutional due to inadequate consultation,” he stated.
He added that by deliberately bypassing district-level engagement, the Committee’s conduct was itself unconstitutional.
Kalaba also criticised the Committee for conducting proceedings solely in English without translation services and insisting on written submissions, arguing that this excludes a large portion of Zambians who cannot read or write English.
“It is unacceptable that organisations such as Caritas Zambia, NGOCC, and several traditional leaders have boycotted the process,” he said, adding that the boycott underscored the process’s lack of transparency and credibility.
Kalaba called on President Hakainde Hichilema to “immediately abandon the sham constitutional amendment process.”
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