Abandon Bill 7, Sangwa tells gov’t

Öwarns deferment is nothing but strategy as he says the process does not answer the constitutional violations being committed, fears deferment will not resolve the breach of public trust

“We gather today not merely to examine a Bill,” Sangwa said. “We are here to address a broader crisis, one that concerns not just the text of Constitutional (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025, but the deeper intentions and direction of the administration that proposed it.”
He said the recent deferral of the Bill by President Hakainde Hichilema was not sufficient, warning that “a pause without purpose is a strategy, not a solution.”
“The same way we firmly rejected Bill No. 10 under President Lungu, for undermining constitutionalism, we must reject Bill No. 7. The objectives remain constant; only the drivers have changed,” Sangwa declared, drawing parallels between the current attempt and the much-contested amendment process under the previous government.
The veteran lawyer and law lecturer accused the current administration of violating constitutional provisions by pushing forward a Bill that centralizes power and erodes accountability.
Citing Articles 8, 61, and 90 of the Constitution, he insisted that all power derives from the people and must serve their well-being.
“Bill No. 7 is not about reform it is about retreat,” he warned. “It strips voters of power, inflates the size of Parliament unnecessarily, weakens devolution, and reintroduces MPs into councils, all at the cost of constitutional order.”
Mr Sangwa was particularly critical of the Bill’s proposal to allow political parties to fill vacant parliamentary seats, calling it “a direct attack on electoral sovereignty and voter choice.”
He further argued that the Bill fails to address Zambia’s pressing challenges such as poverty, corruption, regional divisions, and a crumbling social service infrastructure.
“This Bill offers no relief to the unemployed, no investment in public health or education, and no policies to reduce inequality,” he charged.
In a pointed critique of President Hakainde Hichilema, Mr Sangwa claimed that the head of State had violated Article 90 of the Constitution, which mandates the executive to act in accordance with social justice and in the people’s interest.
“A President who violates Article 90 is not merely misgoverning, he is governing unlawfully,” he said.
“Such a leader forfeits the moral and democratic legitimacy to seek another mandate.”
He also warned Members of Parliament supporting the Bill that they will face a political reckoning in the 2026 general elections.
“Let the general election of 2026 be a referendum not just on Bill No. 7, but on the values we choose to uphold as a nation,” Sangwa said.