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Barely hours after Catholic Archbishop Ignatius Chama of the Kasama Archdiocese endorsed the Oasis Forum’s opposition to the proposed constitutional amendments and urged Christians to join the planned peaceful demonstration at State House in Lusaka on November 28, 2025, Information Minister, Cornelius Mweetwa, has called for dialogue on national matters, including the constitution amendment process, as Zambia prepares for the 2026 general election.
Mweetwa said President Hakainde Hichilema remained open to engagement on issues of national interest, including the Constitution Amendment.
Speaking during a media briefing in Choma on Saturday, he urged civil society organisations and the Church to engage government rather than incite citizens to stage street demonstrations, which he warned could threaten national peace and unity.
He stressed that the UPND administration was committed to an inclusive governance approach that recognized the central role of the Church, civil society and other key stakeholders in national decision-making.
“While the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to peaceful assembly, that right is not without limits,” the Minister stated.
Mweetwa cautioned that public gatherings could be exploited by individuals seeking to disrupt public order, especially during politically sensitive periods such as the run-up to the general election.
He said government had established the Constitutional Technical Committee to engage citizens on Bill 7, the proposed constitutional amendment, ensuring that the process reflected views from across the country.
“The government prefers dialogue and consultation as a means to address issues affecting citizens, noting that peaceful engagement remains the most effective way to preserve national stability,” Mweetwa stated.
He reminded the nation that constitutional reform was not new in Zambia, citing Bill 10, which was brought to Parliament between 2020 and 2021 and was debated and defeated through standard parliamentary procedures.
Mweetwa underscored the role of the Church, civil society and other governance actors in maintaining peace, particularly as the nation moves toward elections.
“During that process, no group called for civil disobedience or incited citizens to protest on the streets, demonstrating that constitutional matters can and should be resolved through dialogue rather than confrontation,” he said.
He further linked peace and dialogue to Zambia’s broader economic transformation agenda, noting that under President Hichilema’s leadership, the country was transitioning from economic recovery to a phase of stability, resilience and growth.
“Every general election is a potentially hazardous moment for any country. It is therefore critical that leaders, institutions, and citizens pull in the same direction to safeguard peace, unity, and national cohesion,” he said.
Mweetwa also highlighted government interventions to address the national electricity shortage, describing the energy crisis as the “elephant in the room” that the President was tackling with urgency.
He said resolving these structural challenges would pave the way for deeper economic reforms aimed at improving the welfare of citizens.
The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to inclusive engagement and urged citizens to support efforts to preserve unity and advance development under the principle of “One Zambia, One Nation.”
Earlier, Archbishop Chama, speaking on Radio Lutanda’s Ishiwi lyakwa Kacema programme on Friday, had described the proposed constitutional amendment as “a potentially dangerous erosion of constitutional safeguards” and appealed to Zambian Christians to join the protests organised by the Oasis Forum.
He said the protest was not “a mere political act but a sacred civic duty embedded in Christian ethos and constitutional fidelity.”
Chama emphasised that the Constitution was not merely a legal instrument but “a covenant between the state and its people.”
He added that when that covenant was manipulated and rights “quietly stripped away under the guise of reform,” it became “the duty of citizens” and “the conscience of the faithful to rise in peaceful, orderly protest.”
Following his remarks, the Zambia Police Service warned that no gathering would be allowed to proceed in a manner that risked public safety, obstructed essential serviced, or endangered uninvolved members of the public.
Police Spokesperson, Godfrey Chilabi, urged the Oasis Forum and civil society organisations to continue engaging the Police through established channels to ensure appropriate security arrangements where permissible.
He warned that unlawful assemblies, provocation, or conduct that incited violence would be met with firm but lawful action.
“We have taken note of the remarks attributed to Archbishop Ignatius Chama of the Kasama Archdiocese regarding the purported peaceful demonstrations scheduled for 28th November 2025, as organised by the OASIS Forum,” he said.
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