*For immediate release*
*LUSAKA, Wednesday, October 29, 2025*
As Citizens First (CF) , we are deeply concerned by the failure of the Technical Committee on the Constitution amendment process to consult citizens at the district level before proceeding to the provincial and national levels.
This omission defeats the very essence for which the Technical Committee was constituted, which is to ‘consult’ the people and draft amendments to the Constitution. Genuine people-driven constitutional reforms must begin with broad-based and inclusive participation from the grassroots. The Technical Committee’s approach, therefore, 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.
By deliberately bypassing district-level engagement, the conduct of the Technical Committee is itself unconstitutional. Even more alarming is that the Committee continues to conduct its business in English without translation services and insists on written submissions. This effectively excludes a vast number of Zambians who cannot read or write English and risks producing an elitist Constitution devoid of legitimacy and public ownership.
It is unacceptable that organisations such as Caritas Zambia, the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC), and several traditional leaders have boycotted making submissions to the Committee. These boycotts are a clear indication that the ongoing process lacks transparency, inclusivity, and credibility. It is increasingly evident that the Technical Committee’s work is nothing more than an attempt to rubber-stamp the rejected provisions of Bill 7.
We therefore urge President Hakainde Hichilema to immediately abandon this sham Constitution amendment process. Why is the President so desperate to push constitutional changes before next year’s general elections? Such desperation raises legitimate questions about his motives and undermines public trust in the integrity of the process.
Instead of wasting scarce public resources on an exercise that is not a priority, President Hichilema should focus his attention on urgent national issues such as reducing the cost of living, lowering fuel prices, creating jobs, and ending the persistent load-shedding crisis, which he has publicly admitted his government has failed to resolve.
The Constitution belongs to the people of Zambia. Any attempt to amend it without their full participation is not only undemocratic but also unconstitutional.
Harry Kalaba
PresidentCitizens First (CF)