Africa-Press – Zambia. the manner in which the UPND is handling Bill 7 is no better than what the PF did with Bill 10
Mr Sinkamba said the Government’s decision to withdraw the Bill a day before the Constitutional Court was scheduled to deliver judgment on its constitutionality “amounts to an abuse of procedure” and suggests that the Executive acted to evade a potentially adverse ruling.
“By withdrawing the Bill on the eve of the Constitutional Court’s judgment, the Government effectively avoided judicial scrutiny. This undermines the principle of constitutional supremacy and weakens the authority of the courts,” Mr Sinkamba said in a statement issued to Smart Eagles.
He likened the UPND’s handling of Bill 7 to the Patriotic Front’s controversial Bill 10 of 2020, which was rejected by Parliament amid public outcry and legal concerns.
“The manner in which the UPND is handling Bill 7 is no better than what the PF did with Bill 10,” he said. Political party merchandise
“Both processes ignored public consensus and sought to push through divisive amendments using questionable procedures.”
Mr Sinkamba also questioned the legality of the Consultative Committee recently appointed by President Hakainde Hichilema to collect public submissions on the proposed amendments, arguing that it lacks a clear legal mandate.
“The committee appears to have been appointed outside any known legal framework such as the Inquiries Act or an Act of Parliament. This makes it an ad hoc political body rather than a legitimate constitutional mechanism,” he said.
He noted that the rejection of the consultation process by several stakeholders, particularly in the Eastern and Western Provinces, reflects growing public mistrust and validates concerns about the committee’s credibility.
“A process of this importance must have national consensus and stakeholder buy-in. What we are seeing is the opposite regions and groups boycotting what they see as a token consultation,” he stated.
Mr Sinkamba called on the Government to immediately withdraw the Consultative Committee and Bill 7 altogether, arguing that the process has been fatally compromised.
“The initial withdrawal of the Bill to avoid a court ruling created an indelible mark of bad faith. Continuing to pursue it through an illegal process only deepens that perception,” he indicated.
“If constitutional reform is still necessary, let it begin afresh through a lawful, transparent, and inclusive process that respects the separation of powers and genuinely reflects the will of the Zambian people.”
Mr Sinkamba warned that continuing with Bill 7 in its current form risks eroding public trust in the UPND Government, which came to power on a promise to uphold the rule of law and democratic governance.
“For a government that campaigned on restoring constitutional order, this is a profound contradiction,” he said.
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