18/12/2025
Hichilema to make Bill 7 law today
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema is today expected to assent to the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025, officially turning it into law.
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The assent ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 hours at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (KK Wing), according to a statement issued by Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa.
The road to Bill 7 began on September 13, 2024, when President Hichilema addressed Parliament and warned of serious lacunas in the Constitution which, if left unattended, could plunge the country into a crisis where Zambia might go eight or nine years without an election.
He told lawmakers then that urgent constitutional amendments were necessary to prevent such a scenario in the future.
That statement ignited nationwide debate, drawing heated reactions from political players, civil society organisations and church bodies.
The President later reinforced his position during International Women’s Day celebrations in Kasama this year, where he said the Constitution needed to be amended to deliberately open up leadership space for women, youths and persons with disabilities.
On March 12, 2025, President Hichilema told the nation that youths themselves had agreed to constitutional amendments aimed at increasing representation of women, young people and the differently abled in decision making positions.
However, the move was met with stiff resistance from opposition political parties and some stakeholders, who accused the government of attempting to manipulate the Constitution for political gain.
But government dismissed the claims, maintaining that the amendments were meant to benefit all Zambians and not any individual or political party.
Formal drafting of the constitutional amendments took place between April 23 and May 20, 2025, following an announcement by Justice minister Princess Kasune on March 26 that the process would commence.
On June 25, Kasune presented Bill 7 to the National Assembly.
But a day later, the process was temporarily halted after President Hichilema directed the Justice minister to defer the Bill to allow for broader national consultations.
The decision followed extensive engagements at State House with church mother bodies and more than 30 civil society organisations.
On October 2, President Hichilema appointed a 25 member technical committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Christopher Mushabati, to collect views from Zambians on the proposed amendments.
The committee drew members from governance, law, civil society, religious groups and traditional leadership.
While consultations were ongoing, some civil society organisations and church groups openly opposed the Bill, with some leaders seeking dialogue with the President, while others threatened protests at State House.
After two months of consultations, the committee handed over its report to the President on December 2, having collected 11,860 submissions from across the country.
The following day, December 3, Bill 7 returned to the National Assembly, where a select committee was appointed to scrutinise it.
On Friday, December 12, Parliament suspended its Standing Orders to allow for a special sitting, to pave the way for the Bill to be debated on Monday, December 15, 2025.
Bill 7 sailed through Second and Third Readings with overwhelming support, after which the National Assembly adjourned sine die.
At Third Reading, all 135 Members of Parliament present voted in favour, comfortably surpassing the constitutional two-thirds threshold.
Earlier, at Second Reading, 131 MPs voted in support, two voted against and none abstained.
The Bill was then taken through Committee Stage and Report Stage before reaching the Third Reading.
Three days later, Bill 7 is set to officially become law today as the President puts up his signature on the document.
Bill 7 seeks to amend the Constitution by revising the composition of the National Assembly and increasing the number of constituency-based seats, in line with the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s delimitation report.
It introduces a mixed-member proportional representation system to guarantee representation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in Parliament.
The Bill also proposes changes to rules governing fresh nominations, by-elections, and revises the number of nominated Members of Parliament.
It further seeks to harmonise the terms of Parliament and local councils to a five year cycle.
Additional amendments provide for a vacancy in the office of Minister or Provincial Minister within 90 days before a general election, removes the two term limit for mayors and council chairpersons and revises the composition of councils to include constituency-based Members of Parliament.
Bill 7 also revises qualifications for the appointment of the Secretary to the Cabinet, allows the Attorney General and Solicitor General to remain in office after a general election until successors are appointed, and updates constitutional definitions of ‘child’ and ‘adult.’
It further clarifies timelines within which election petitions must be concluded, alongside other connected and incidental matters.
By Catherine P**e
Kalemba, December 18, 2025
