Renowned musician and Zambia Association of Musicians president Brian Bwembya has urged the President Hakainde Hichilema administration to prioritize bread and butter issues as opposed to Bill 7.
Bwembya who is popularly known as B’Flow says the most prudent approach would be for the current administration to wait until after the elections.
He adds that should the current administration emerge victorious, then it would push for reforms.
Posting on his Facebook account, B’Flow said waiting until after elections will lessen the current suspicions that seem to suggest that the proposed amendments are ill-timed.
He writes:
BILL 7 NOT A PRIORITY
The number of Zambians questioning the government’s priorities continues to increase, arguing that Bill No. 7 is not a pressing concern for the majority of citizens struggling to make ends meet.
The proposed constitutional amendments have been met with widespread skepticism and opposition, with critics citing concerns over the lack of genuine public consultation, the timing of the amendments close to elections, and fears that the changes are a thinly veiled attempt by the ruling party to consolidate power and erode democratic checks and balances.
The concerns are multifaceted:
1. Flawed and Non-Inclusive Process: The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), the Oasis Forum, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), activists and many other Zambians have criticized the rushed and opaque process, mostly because it lacks a clear legal framework.
The government’s “top-down” approach has left ordinary citizens, civil society organizations, governance activists and opposition parties with insufficient time and opportunity for meaningful input.
2. Suspected Political Motivation: Many believe the timing of the amendments is a deliberate attempt by the ruling party to secure their grip on power rather than a genuine effort at reform. By pushing through changes ahead of the 2026 elections, the government risks perpetuating a pattern of constitutional manipulation that has marred Zambia’s democratic history. My submission is that a more prudent approach would be to wait until after the elections, should they emerge victorious, to push for reforms. This will lessen the current suspicions that seem to suggest that the proposed amendments are ill-timed.
3. Concerns about Executive Power: Specific proposed amendments, such as allowing Parliament to increase the number of nominated Members of Parliament (MPs) without a clear cap, are seen as a blatant attempt to pack the legislature with loyalists, undermining parliamentary independence and the separation of powers.
4. Resemblance to Past Controversies: The current proposed amendments bear striking similarities to the widely rejected “Bill 10” of the previous PF administration, which faced similar accusations of undermining democracy. The ruling party’s about-face on this issue has only deepened public suspicion and mistrust.
5. Ignoring Critical Issues: Critics argue that the government should focus on pressing national issues, such as reducing the high cost of living and addressing unemployment, rather than engaging in a divisive constitutional review process. Now more than ever, our country needs unity, reconciliation and healing rather than pushing a process that makes the country even more politically charged.
6. Undermining Accountability: Some amendments could weaken direct constituency accountability by introducing elements of a proportional representation system that relies on party lists rather than direct election results. There is need to provide clarity in that regard, hence the need to slow down and give the process enough time for citizens to fully understand what is being proposed.
7. The collective concerns point to a historical pattern where successive governments have attempted constitutional changes close to elections, leading to public mistrust and a call for a more durable, people-driven process built on broad national consensus.
IS THE UPND DRIFTING AWAY FROM THE PROMISE MADE IN THE 2021 UPND MANIFESTO OF REVIVING THE BILL OF RIGHTS OR IS BILL 7 THE NEW NAME FOR THE ZAMBIAN BILL OF RIGHTS?
In their 2021 manifesto, the United Party for National Development (UPND) committed to reviving the process of expanding the Bill of Rights to integrate economic, social, and cultural rights.
However, the current constitutional amendment process has fallen short of the promised inclusive and democratic reform, sparking widespread opposition from citizen groups.
The government would do well to heed the calls for a more inclusive, well timed and transparent process, prioritizing the needs and concerns of ordinary Zambians over partisan interests. I end here (for now).