Chali Mulenga

By Chali Mulenga As the debate around Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 intensifies, one thing has become unmistakably clear:  Zambia is facing not merely a legislative dispute but a constitutional crisis rooted in mistrust, opacity and political overreach.  Bill 7 has been marketed as a sweeping modernisation of our governance system is promising improved representation, inclusivity and electoral clarity.  Yet, beneath the surface, the Bill reveals deep gaps that threaten both constitutionalism and democratic stability. A Flawed Process From the Start No constitutional amendment can stand on a broken foundation. The Constitutional Court’s declaration that Bill 7 is a nullity should have halted the process entirely.  Instead, the Bill is being revived and repackaged, ignoring the Court’s directive that wide public consultation is mandatory are not optional.  The opacity surrounding the so-called “Technical Committee,” whose reports remain unpublished, only worse...