Members of Parliament have voted YES to Bill No. 7, with 135 votes in favour, 0 against out of a total of 135 MPs.
BILL 7 CLEARS THE NUMBERS, PARLIAMENT ERUPTS AS SECOND READING PASSES
Parliament has crossed a decisive threshold this afternoon as Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 secured the required two-thirds majority at Second Reading, pushing the controversial legislation to the next stage amid raw emotion, procedural clashes, and visible jubilation on the floor of the House.
With 131 votes recorded in favour and only two opposed, the numbers settled a debate that had dominated national politics for weeks. The arithmetic had loomed large from the outset.
Out of 167 Members of Parliament, including elected, nominated, and ex-officio members, the Bill required at least 110 votes to survive Second Reading due to the Chawama vacancy. It cleared that bar comfortably.
The session itself was anything but routine.
Tensions peaked when Nkana Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu mounted a forceful submission, warning that Parliament was “on the verge of undermining the Constitution.” Mpundu invoked the Constitutional Court and framed his stance as one for history, declaring, “I resolved to stand firm in defence of the Constitution of the Republic. I will not associate myself with any process that amounts to illegality.”
Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti cut in sharply, cautioning Mpundu against interpreting the law. “You are not a lawyer,” she reminded him, steering the House back to procedure and drawing murmurs across the chamber.
Mpundu nonetheless concluded by excusing himself from further participation, saying posterity would judge the House.
Moments earlier, another flashpoint had unfolded when Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa attempted to raise a point of order and table a document during debate.
“My point of order is very compelling, Madam Speaker,” Sampa insisted, saying he had evidence to support his claim.
Speaker Mutti rejected the move outright. “That is not how documents are laid on the Table,” she ruled, ordering the paper withdrawn. She stressed that Standing Orders require verification before any document can be admitted, adding that without compliance, “your point of order falls off.”
Throughout the heated exchanges, the Speaker repeatedly appealed for order and restraint. “I am not going to chase anyone out of the House,” Mutti said.
“Those who wish to leave may do so on their own. Let us maintain order and decorum so that we proceed seamlessly.”
When the vote was finally taken, the mood shifted instantly. Government benches erupted in applause. The two-thirds line had been crossed. Bill 7 survived its most politically dangerous hurdle.
The result confirmed what behind-the-scenes tallies had suggested all weekend. The ruling UPND bloc, bolstered by nominated members, ex-officio votes, a section of independents, and a breakaway group from the opposition benches, had the numbers.
Opposition threats of mass boycotts and court warnings did not translate into sufficient resistance on the floor.
Outside the chamber, reactions were immediate and polarized. Supporters framed the vote as a democratic endorsement of reform. Critics called it defiance of the courts. On social media, accusations of inducements flew freely, even as no evidence was formally presented in the House.
What is beyond dispute is that the centre of gravity has now shifted. Bill 7 moves forward, politically strengthened by a clear numerical mandate, but still carrying deep national divisions into the next stages.
The debate was fierce. The vote was decisive. And Zambia’s constitutional contest has entered a new and irreversible phase.
© The People’s Brief | Goran Handya
Truth revealed. There are no PF MPs in Parliament. Alick Wachepa sana. You are dealing with big machine.
I read in Matthew 7: 13 – 14 , that
” Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go there at
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it.. KJV
And so that fake majority, in Parliament, thinks it has its day…But Dead they are , for the life is with the living, and the struggle will continue.
For the Illegitimate and unconstitutional Bill 7, made in some one’s Bedroom is illegal and Unconstitutional..and it will always remain so.
And the Illegal Law which will come out of an illegitimate and unconstitutional Bill 7 will always remain illegal.
Hakainde at some time will release the Delimitation Report
He will release the Census Report per district and constituency
He will explain how he came up with the 55 additional Parliamentary seats .
The People ‘s power sees through his schemes, and at an opportune time, he and his partners in illegalities will be put to size.
It’s just a matter of time…
Criminals always have their day.
You will find us in Constituencies…You will face the wrath of the people.
Sir, what will you post or blog, if when the Delimitation Report finally comes out, you find out that it is balanced or even favours your part of the country where you come from, (I do not know where that is and really it does not matter to me. To me you are a Zambian, and that is what is important and matters to me)?
From now going forward, I sure we should now start getting less noise from the opposers of Bill 7 especially ba Mwamba, Mundubile, Kafwaya, Sampa, Lubinda etc. We have seen for ourselves, Bill 7 has passed the second stage without any difficulties and with a very big margin, from 111 to 131, numbers don’t lie, the majority has won and the minority has lost, people through their elected representatives have spoken. That’s how democracy is, it’s never selfish because only 2/3 majority satisfies it. The game is over now, we don’t know what next for the opposition, who devoted all their effort and time to the opposing of Bill 7 at the expense of organizing themselves and their party in preparation for the 2026 general elections. And today Davies Mwila’s prophecy has been fulfilled, PF is dead although they don’t want to admit.