OASIS FORUM MEETING PULLS 55 MPs
OASIS FORUM MEETING TO BLOCK BILL NO. 7
By Linda Banks ©️
SUSSEX, Dec 8 — The Oasis Forum held a closed-door meeting on Monday aimed at stopping Zambia’s constitutional amendment bill, with at least 55 participants including 42 Patriotic Front and Independent MPs.
According to the brief, Law Association of Zambia President Lungisani Zulu advised MPs to boycott the vote by remaining at the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Kapingila House from 08.00 hours on voting day. Organisers targeted 60 MPs to prevent quorum, citing fears government could register votes for absent members.
MPs were assigned to lobby colleagues across all parties, particularly from Eastern Province, to abstain. Legal experts, including Professor Cephas Lumina, warned the amendment process was unconstitutional and urged its termination or a complete restart under the Constitutional Court.
Civil society leaders Laura Miti, Josiah Kalala and former Solicitor General Musa Mwenye presented objections to the bill. Hon. Antony Mumba pledged to sway supportive or undecided MPs and called for the Oasis Forum to appear before the Select Committee on Dec. 9.
Zulu warned that lawyers involved in the process, including Hon. Nelly Muti and technical committee members, could face disciplinary action and said a future government might pursue prosecutions. He added that MPs who debated or supported the bill risked contempt of court and advised them to register attendance and then leave the chamber immediately.
When contacted by Linda Banks for confirmation, NGOCC Chairperson, Oasis Forum Spokesperson and Forum Chairperson Beauty Katebe confirmed the meeting took place but denied that any money exchanged hands.
Linda Banks is a Journalist covering politics, justice, social issues and international affairs across Africa and the UK.
©️ 2025 Linda Banks. All rights reserved.
Of Ostriches, Smokescreens and Pharisees. We, as Zambians have perfected the Art of Hypocrisy. This Stand Off has nothing to do with Bill 7 but everything to do with Stand Off between Zambezi Region and North East Region of our beloved country Zed. You know it, I know it. Just look at the prominence of those who are the Lead Vocalists on both sides of the line.
@simpo sitali
And Bill 10 was about what?
This is were it is clear that Sitali is right. Bill 7 is just the extract of Bill 10, things that people agreed in Bill 10 have been drawn to form Bill 7 and things that people didn’t agree including UPND in opposition, have been left for later coz they demand more time hence the rejection of Bill 10.
You people just decide to close your eyes and critical analysis, eishi . If every Zambian was in his right sense, there was not even any need to have technical committee coz consultation was already done on these Bill 7 amendments during Bill 10.
When Bill 10 was fought and opposed, no one talked about Tribe.. When people Oppose Bill 7, it becomes a Tribal issue.
..all of a sudden the Catholic Bishops, Oasis Forum, LAZ are seen in Tribal Lenses.
When these Same groups opposed Bill 10, there wasn’t any Tribalism.
The sh@t times we are living under. Sad.
Yes these people or groups talked but the process was followed and short down in parliament. Why should people refuse Bill 7 to go to parliament to complete the process? If it goes to parliament then it’s HH?
About tribe, pls be reminded that PF is the manufacturer of tribalism, these are just the fruits. When you plant maize today and die tomorrow, the people who will harvest are the ones who will earn the credit ati bana Lima aba.
By the way, these groups gave reasons why they didn’t want Bill 10 to go through and there were genuine reasons. What are the reasons that these groups are giving today to stop Bill 7? Are they genuine?