UPND WELCOMES CONCOURT RULING SUPPORTING DEFERRAL OF CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT BILL FOR BROADER CONSULTATION

Lusaka, June 28, 2025 — The United Party for National Development (UPND) has welcomed the Constitutional Court ruling affirming the decision by President Hakainde Hichilema and his Cabinet to defer Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025 to allow for broader national consultation and consensus-building.

In a statement, UPND Media Director Mark Simuuwe praised the court’s recognition of the government’s approach, describing it as a victory for participatory democracy and an endorsement of the President’s leadership style that values inclusivity and dialogue.

“We commend the Constitutional Court for its ruling which aligns with President Hichilema’s commitment to ensuring that the constitution-making process reflects the will of the people,” Mr. Simuuwe said. “This is a clear demonstration of the President’s willingness to listen, consult, and put national unity first.”

Mr. Simuuwe further thanked President Hichilema for opening the doors of State House to key stakeholders, including senior representatives from the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), and leading civil society organizations such as the Law Association of Zambia and Chapter One Foundation.

He noted that the President had responded swiftly to the submissions from civil society organizations and stakeholders who urged a deferral of the Bill to create space for meaningful dialogue and consensus.

“This reaffirms President Hichilema’s commitment to open, inclusive governance. He is leading by example in ensuring that constitutional reform is one anchored on broad participation of all Zambians,” Mr. Simuuwe said.

He also commended the President’s responsiveness to public concerns over the NGO Bill and the recently enacted Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, highlighting this as further evidence of the government’s willingness to work with civil society to improve democratic governance.

“The constitution belongs to the people of Zambia. Our collective goal must be to deepen our democracy, protect rights, and promote the inclusion of all groups, particularly the marginalized,” Mr. Simuuwe said.

He emphasized the importance of developing a broad-based and transparent roadmap that will guide the constitutional review process and foster national development through cooperation between government, civil society, and faith-based organizations.