The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has called on government to suspend all constitutional amendment efforts until after the 2026 General Elections, following a landmark Constitutional Court ruling.
In a judgment delivered on June 27, 2025, in the case of Munir Zulu and Celestine Mukandila vs. the Attorney General, the Constitutional Court found that government’s initiation of the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025, without first undertaking broad public consultation, contravened several key provisions of the Constitution.
These include Articles 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 61, 90, 91, and 92, as amended by Act No. 2 of 2016.
LAZ President, Lungisani Zulu, noted that the Court directed government to ensure that any future constitutional amendment process must be people-driven and led by an independent body of experts, following wide and inclusive public consultations.
“The people are the ultimate decision-makers when it comes to removing or replacing constitutional provisions,” said Mr. Zulu in a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today.
He stressed that this critical stage of consultation and public participation is what grants legitimacy to any constitutional changes, making them binding and truly representative of the will of the people.
Mr. Zulu reaffirmed LAZ’s commitment to upholding constitutionalism and democratic values, asserting that the currently deferred Bill No. 7 of 2025 is legally invalid in the absence of meaningful prior consultation.
He further urged government to fully respect the Court’s directive and assume a facilitative, rather than leading, role in any future constitutional reform process.
By Margaret Mwanza
