NO ONE IS ABOVE THE CONSTITUTION
…as LAZ challenges Speaker over Bill 7
Lusaka… Tuesday July 15, 2025 – The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has taken legal action against Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, over her handling of the controversial Bill No. 7 of 2025.
According to a statement issued by activist and Socialist Party member Mr. Thompson Luzendi, LAZ had filed a petition challenging the Speaker’s decision to allow the continuation of a legislative process that had already been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court.
Mr. Luzendi stated that this action by LAZ served as a vital reminder that Zambia remains a constitutional democracy, not a space for “political convenience.”
Mr. Luzendi commended LAZ and the legal team representing them for what he described as a principled and moral stand in defense of the rule of law.
He emphasized that this was more than a legal battle–it was a fight to restore constitutional integrity and safeguard the democratic framework of the nation.
The Constitutional Court, in a ruling delivered on 27 June 2025, had declared the process surrounding Bill No. 7 illegal, citing lack of public consultation and violations of Articles 1, 2, 5, and 79 of the Constitution.
That judgment, Mr. Luzendi asserted, was final and binding.
Despite this, on 9 July, Speaker Mutti ruled that Parliament could proceed with the bill if the Minister of Justice chose to reintroduce it.
Mr. Luzendi described the Speaker’s decision as unconstitutional, defiant, and a dangerous precedent.
He argued that such actions undermined the authority of the judiciary and threatened the constitutional order of the country.
He further stated that the Speaker, like all public officers, was bound by the Constitution and had no authority to override court rulings.
Mr. Luzendi warned that ignoring such judgments weakened the separation of powers and could push the nation toward what he termed “constitutional collapse.”
According to Mr. Luzendi, by taking the matter to court, LAZ was stepping in where Parliament had failed, acting to protect the Constitution from abuse.
He expressed deep appreciation for the lawyers involved, praising them for defending democracy in a climate where silence and fear had become tools of suppression.
He reaffirmed that Zambia was a nation of laws, not individuals or positions of power.
No Speaker, Minister, or political party, he said, could lawfully ignore a ruling from the Constitutional Court.
Mr. Luzendi called on the court to reassert its authority and urged all citizens, civil society actors, and institutions to recognize the gravity of the moment.
He insisted that Bill No. 7 must not proceed illegally and that Speaker Mutti should be reminded her powers were not absolute.
Meanwhile, Mr. Luzendi expressed hope that this legal challenge would be remembered not merely as a clash between law and power, but as a moment where principle triumphed over political manipulation.
Comparing the fate of Bill 7 to that of the previously defeated Bill 10, Mr. Luzendi called for it to be “thrown into the dustbin of history.”