ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK BILL NO. 7 ARE MALICIOUS AND LEGALLY UNTENABLE – GOVERNMENT

Описание: ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK BILL NO. 7 ARE MALICIOUS AND LEGALLY UNTENABLE – GOVERNMENT

The Government has expressed strong concern over what it describes as deliberate attempts by the opposition and the Oasis Forum to halt the progression of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 7 in Parliament.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, said efforts to cite the Speaker of the National Assembly, Members of Parliament, and President Hakainde Hichilema for contempt were malicious, frivolous and without legal basis.

Mr. Mweetwa welcomed yesterday’s court ruling that dismissed the contempt proceedings, stating that there is now no legal obstacle preventing Bill No. 7 from proceeding in the National Assembly.

He condemned what he termed an abuse of legal processes after petitioners attempted to drag President Hichilema into court over the Bill, reminding practitioners that the Head of State cannot be joined to such proceedings.

The Chief Government Spokesperson further clarified that reliance on the Munir Zulu and Celestine Mukandila versus Attorney General ruling to stop Bill No. 7 was misguided, explaining that the judgment came after the Bill had already been introduced in Parliament. He noted that the ruling simply offered general guidance on wider consultations and could not be applied retrospectively.

Mr. Mweetwa urged the opposition and civil society organisations to channel their concerns through formal submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee rather than filing repeated court actions.

He emphasised that under Article 76 of the Constitution, the National Assembly remains the only legally mandated institution to determine the future of the Bill.

The Minister said Government is pushing ahead with constitutional refinement to address urgent electoral issues ahead of the 2026 General Election, including presidential petition management, nomination processes, and enhanced representation for women, youths, and persons with disabilities.

Mr. Mweetwa accused opponents of the Bill of attempting to keep the country perpetually distracted from key national matters.

He expressed hope that by the time Bill No. 7 returns to Parliament for debate and voting, contentious issues will have been resolved through consensus-building.

The Minister also appealed for national unity, saying that the constitutional amendment process must proceed lawfully and without unnecessary obstructions.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mweetwa highlighted what he described as significant economic progress under the current administration, noting that President Hakainde Hichilema inherited a fragile economy in 2021, with foreign reserves amounting to less than 2 billion United States dollars.

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