By Mubanga Mubanga
A Consortium of civil society organizations (CSOs) have called on the government to give a clear roadmap to the newly appointed technical Committee to amend the constitution.
In a joint statement which was read by Chapter one foundation executive director Josiah Kalala, the CSOs observed that in order to have a durable Constitution, there was a need for a clear and comprehensive roadmap.
“Clear Roadmap for meaningful consultations and a durable Constitution. A credible process requires a clear and comprehensive roadmap, agreed upon by a broad spectrum of stakeholders, before the committee begins its substantive work. This roadmap must outline the three critical phases: pre-drafting (agenda-setting), drafting, and post-instruction (implementation),” Kalala said. “Its development should be guided by comparative experience and participatory methodologies. Crucially, this timeline must be determined by the requirements of a thorough and inclusive process; it must not be constrained by the 2026 election cycle. We need a durable constitution, not a rushed political amendment.”
Kalala also called on the government to give adequate resources to the technical committee. He added that the government should also give the technical committee terms of reference which would define the Committee’s mandate.
“An Independent, Transparent, and Accountable Process. The Government has the important duty of facilitating this process by providing adequate resources while ensuring the committee’s full operational independence. We call for clear and publicly accessible Terms of Reference which will define the Committee’s mandate and reporting lines,” Kalala said. “A transparent process with public hearings, prompt publication of drafts, and regular updates is essential in building public trust, buy-in and ensuring accountability. It is further important for public understanding, buy-in and participation in the constitutional review process that critical information, such as previous constitutional review reports and the delimitation report, are made easily accessible to the public.”
Kalala said this was an opportunity to finally deliver a constitution that embodied the collective will of the Zambian people.
“This is a critical opportunity to finally deliver a constitution that embodies the collective will of the Zambian people and addresses the fundamental governance challenges of our time. The integrity and legitimacy of the process we envisage can only be achieved through enabling legislation in the form of a dedicated constitutional review statute,” Kalala said. “Such legislation would define the Committee’s mandate, procedures, timelines, and accountability, while shielding the process from political manipulation. Without this legal foundation, the process risks contestation, ambiguity, and weakened outcomes, rather than delivering a constitution that truly reflects the will of the Zambian people.”
Kalala further said the CSOs were ready to support what was transparent and inclusive.
“The undersigned organisations anticipate and are ready to support a process that is transparent, inclusive, and accountable to the Zambian people,” said Kalala. “It is our shared hope that the process will culminate in a constitution and constitutional order that places the country on a trajectory of economic, political and social growth.
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