The Catholic Bishops of Zambia, through the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), have reaffirmed their principled disapproval of the revised Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025. This strong stance comes amidst concerns that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, reportedly intends to call a special parliamentary sitting on October 2, 2025, to reintroduce the Bill.

ZCCB President, Archbishop Ignitius Chama, issued a statement in Lusaka emphasizing that constitutional reform must genuinely reflect the will of the people and not be compromised by expedient political interests or procedural shortcuts. The bishops argue that the Bill, in its current form, does not uphold the foundational values of participatory democracy, transparency, and constitutional integrity. They have urged Members of Parliament to heed their conscience and reject the Bill's reintroduction until a truly inclusive, transparent, and participatory process is undertaken.

Furthermore, the ZCCB strongly urged a reconsideration of the ongoing judicial appointments process. They demand that this process, at all times and stages, meet the critical standards of transparency, merit, and public accountability that Zambian democracy requires. Archbishop Chama called upon civil society, legal professionals, and faith-based institutions to also demand a more transparent, merit-based, and constitutionally faithful process for judicial appointments.

The bishops stressed the need to initiate a genuinely inclusive, consultative process that respects the voices of all stakeholders, including citizens, civil society, faith-based institutions, traditional authorities, and legal experts. This holistic review, anchored on broad-based citizen and stakeholder consensus, is considered vital for strengthening democratic governance. Chama argued that the current government process falls short of the necessary standards for legitimacy, inclusivity, and transparency.

To support their position, Archbishop Chama cited the Constitutional Court's ruling in the case of Munir Zulu and Celestine Mukandila v Attorney General (2025/CCZ/009) 2025 ZMCC 12. In this decision, the court found that a constitutional amendment process cannot be initiated without the extensive participation of the people of Zambia through wide consultations, thereby declaring the process leading to Bill No. 7 of 2025 unconstitutional.

In a concluding message, the Catholic Bishops exhorted all Zambians to remain united as "One Zambia One Nation" to ensure the steady growth of their young democracy, envisioning a better Zambia that will be a pride of future generations.