Africa-Press – Zambia. Bill 7 has progressive gains but process failed Zambians – Saboi
NATIONAL Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Saboi Imboela has praised the passing of Bill 7 and introduction of progressive changes, particularly the inclusion of proportional representation which she says has the potential to make Parliament more inclusive.
Imboela said she has always supported proportional representation, noting that if properly implemented, it could open doors for more women, young people and persons with disabilities to participate in national decision making.
However, she criticised the manner in which the Bill was passed, describing the process as unfair and disrespectful to Zambians.
In an interview with #Kalemba, Imboela said her biggest concern was not the content of the Bill, but how it was pushed through without adequate public involvement.
She explained that the constitutional court had already raised red flags over the process, ruling that there had been insufficient public consultation.
Although government later appointed the technical committee to collect views from across the country, Imboela said the exercise failed to meaningfully influence the final outcome.
“When you want to amend the constitution, you must go to the people, you collect their views and allow them to say what they want changed. After going around the country, we still ended up with the original Bill. If government had used the committee’s report, it would have meant going back to the bill and that would have taken more time,” she said.
Imboela argued that with time running out, government chose to proceed with the original draft, a move she said undermined the will of the people.
“The Bill was pushed through instead of being shaped by the people,” stated Imboela.
Despite her reservations, she maintained that Bill 7 is not entirely bad, stressing that proportional representation remains a major gain.
She, however, cautioned government against backtracking on the system once it has been introduced.
“Government should not bring in proportional representation and later start changing their minds. It must be implemented properly and taken seriously,” she added.
Imboela also warned that constitutional amendments have long-term consequences, even for those who initially support them.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba December 16, 2025
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