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The Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) and the Socialist Party have joined growing calls for the government to revisit its approach to constitutional reform and commit to a truly inclusive, transformative, and people-driven process.
ZCSD Board Chairperson, Jacob Makambwe, said the current consultative process around Constitution Bill No. 7 had fallen short of the inclusivity and transparency required for a matter of such national significance.
Makambwe told Zambia Monitor in an interview in Lusaka on Tuesday that key stakeholders — including traditional leaders, women’s groups, youth representatives, opposition political parties, and community-based organisations — had expressed concerns over being excluded or inadequately engaged in the process.
“Constitutional reform is not just about legal text. It’s also about building consensus and trust in the process,” he said.
Makambwe urged the government to re-evaluate the process surrounding Bill No. 7, broaden stakeholder consultations, and create an environment that would restore public confidence in constitutional reform efforts.
He reiterated ZCSD’s commitment to constructive engagement and underscored the importance of safeguarding Zambia’s democratic foundations.
“The concerns raised by civil society are not only legitimate but are rooted in Zambia’s recent constitutional history, where amendments have had significant and lasting impacts,” Makambwe added.
He pointed out that certain provisions in Bill 7 raised serious concerns about the potential concentration of power, weakening of oversight institutions, and ambiguities that could be open to misuse.
However, Makambwe welcomed government’s invitation for stakeholders to contribute substantively, stating that civil society organisations had already submitted a range of inputs, including position papers, petitions, and recommendations during previous review processes.
Read More: Youth group urges rejection of proposed constitutional amendments, lack of inclusivity
Meanwhile, Socialist Party President, Dr. Fred M’membe, also called for the withdrawal of Bill No. 7, arguing that the proposed legislation lacked clarity and public support.
M’membe said the government’s insistence on pushing forward the bill without wide consensus demonstrated a lack of political wisdom.
“The government is not making sense with its push for Bill 7. It should have the courage to listen to the people and withdraw it,” he said.
He further criticised the administration’s top-down approach to constitutional reform, warning that making unilateral decisions on critical national matters was doomed to fail.
“Rigidity and arrogance have no place in effective political leadership,” M’membe said.
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