NATION REPORTER
GOVERNMENT has been challenged to disclose which of the country’s stakeholders have been consulted in the process of making amendments to the Constitution or risk coming up with an illegitimate amended Constitution because of lack of wider consultations.
The Zambia Centre for Liberties Union (ZCLU) while it is still studying the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment Bill 2025) it is unhappy with some of the contents and that lack of wider consultation would render the outcome of the process illegitimate.
The ZCLU says it would soon be issuing a comprehensive statement stating its position on the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025, in which it will raise concerns about the legitimacy of the outcome warning that there is a real danger that Zambia’s democratic order would be under threat.
ZCLU says it is ready to support the on-going constitutional reform process provided that Government is willing to conduct a structured, limited public consultative process with key stakeholders and be able to incorporate feedback into the amendments before they are taken to Parliament.
It says that while it recognised the need for constitutional reform as a tool to enhance governance and accountability, the current bill had provisions that were regressive, self-serving and contrary to the spirit of democratic progress.
And Given Lubinda, the former Justice Minister has said the proposed constitutional amendments being advanced by the UPND government are part of a broader plot to not only weaken the opposition but to entrench incumbency in a bid to retain power.
Mr Lubinda is also fearing that the hashed constitutional amendments are but part of a wider scheme to remove the 50%+1 majority vote threshold and extend the presidential term of office.
Mr Lubinda, who is the Patriotic Front (PF) vice president and Tonse Alliance acting chairperson, said in an interview yesterday that the government’s move to introduce mixed proportional representation was a strategic step to manipulate parliamentary numbers and ultimately entrench power of incumency.
“These proposals are not about improving governance—they are a calculated attempt to create a one-party state,” Mr Lubinda said.
He warned that if passed, the amendments would allow the President to increase the number of nominated Members of Parliament by moving the provision from the Constitution to subsidiary legislation, such as an Act of Parliament, where the head of State would have unchecked power to expand the number of nominated MPs.
“The very day the amendment is passed, President Hichilema will assent to it immediately. The following day, a bill will be presented in Parliament to increase the number of nominated MPs, possibly from eight to 40. This will give UPND the two-thirds majority they need to alter any part of the Constitution,” Mr Lubinda said.
He claimed that once the majority was secured, the ruling party would move to remove the 50+1 vote requirement, increase the tenure of office from five to seven years, and repeal provisions requiring parliamentary oversight on matters such as external borrowing and the sale of state assets.
“The amendments are a direct threat to our democracy. They are being packaged as progressive reforms, but they are, in fact, the gateway to authoritarian rule. We must not allow it,” he said.
Mr Lubinda accused the UPND of hypocrisy, noting that while in opposition, the party rejected similar proposals made during the National Dialogue Forum (NDF) under the PF administration, insisting at the time that such reforms required wide consultation and consensus.
“Now that they are in power, they are pushing the same agenda without transparency or public input. This deceit must be exposed and rejected by all well-meaning Zambians,” he said.
