OASIS FORUM SLAMS GOVERNMENT OVER “BILL 7 OF 2025” — ACCUSES UPND OF RIGGING DEMOCRACY THROUGH BACKDOOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
In a fiery press briefing marked by strong words and a unified front, the Oasis Forum has launched an all-out crusade against the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025, accusing the UPND-led government of betraying the Zambian people by pushing a secretive, partisan, and dangerous reform agenda.
The Oasis Forum a coalition of Zambia’s key civic, legal, and faith-based institutions condemned the constitutional reform process as illegitimate, lacking inclusivity, transparency, and broad-based citizen consultation. “We the people of Zambia” is not just a preamble, said the Forum, but a binding principle that government must respect.
Among the organisations backing the campaign are the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC), and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB). Together, they launched the Coalition Against Bill 7, a national campaign to block the proposed amendments.
“This bill is not about progress; it’s about power,” said one panelist, warning that Bill 7 seeks to alter Zambia’s democratic architecture just months before a general election. Critics claim it is engineered to tilt the playing field in favour of the ruling party while silencing the voice of the people.
The Forum blasted the Ministry of Justice for conducting “backdoor consultations” with unnamed stakeholders while deliberately excluding citizens, youth groups, opposition parties, and civil society. “You cannot reform the Constitution in dark corridors with handpicked chiefs and ghost stakeholders,” said a spokesperson.
A key issue raised was the bloated legislature proposed under the bill, which the Forum warned would drain national resources at a time when the government is failing to pay volunteer doctors, buy maize from struggling farmers, or adequately support free education and healthcare. “How do you increase the number of MPs when the nation is broke?” one critic asked.
Responding to government claims that Oasis Forum has no legal basis to oppose the bill, the coalition asserted its moral and constitutional right to defend the people’s document. “We don’t need court orders to speak truth to power. Our legitimacy comes from the people,” a lawyer from LAZ declared.
The Forum also accused government representatives of weaponising Parliament through the “arrogance of numbers”, using its majority to bulldoze unpopular legislation. “If MPs choose party over people, history will judge them as traitors to the Constitution,” said another speaker.
Legal action remains on the table. The Forum said it was exploring judicial options, but noted that its primary focus was mobilising nationwide civic resistance. This includes public sensitisation, peaceful protests, and constituency-based pressure on Members of Parliament to reject the bill.
When pressed by journalists to provide specifics on what aspects of Bill 7 they oppose, the Forum promised to conduct community-based legal literacy campaigns to expose each article’s danger. “This bill is frontloaded with electoral amendments clearly timed to benefit those in power. The devil is in the detail,” one member stated.
The coalition also dismissed claims that their activism is funded by foreign paymasters. “Our only paymasters are the people of Zambia,” said a church leader, prompting applause from the audience. “We owe no loyalty to partisan interests only to national interest.”
Oasis Forum criticised the government’s refusal to revive the Political Parties Bill and other previously shelved reforms that had broad support. “Why discard well-thought-out processes just to rush a new one? We have become experts at wasting money on failed reforms,” they argued.
As a symbolic act of resistance, the coalition unveiled the colour black as the symbol of the campaign, drawn from the black stripe on the national flag, which represents the Zambian people. “We appeal to the conscience of this government leave the people’s document alone,” the Forum concluded.
The battle lines over Bill 7 of 2025 are now drawn. The Oasis Forum has declared war against what it describes as “a constitutional hijack in broad daylight.” Whether Parliament listens or bulldozes ahead remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: civil society is ready for the long fight.
June 23, 2025
©️ KUMWESU
Which Zambians are you talkong àbout? Count me out of Lingasan Zulus, Alick Bandas and the likes of father Chikoya. They are like the Johua Bandas- christians for Lungu group
As for me and other progressive not greedy individuals, leave me with because i greatly appreciate the move especially on,
1. Delimitation- some Constituencies are too big and making no impact even when the CDF amount has been increased in the NEW DAWN GOVT. It has to be corresponding with the allocation of resources for equality purposes.
2. Inclusion of wemen, youths and people with disability properly spelled on how their seats can be assured and preserved in parliament.
3. The confusion on the 14 days during presidential elections partition. If in the 14 days holidays and weekends are included in the 14 days or not.
4. The aligning of a child with regards to other protocal systems to be the same in explanation. I.e. Un charter, African Union chater and at Country level.
And many more. Very progressive. No need of retardation by evil infected minds of the same confusion. Take your evil confusion ku SA where the family represatatives being lawyers are being confused more.
This Constitution is about Power… perpetual power to be in the hands of a group – The Sacreds and Allied Sacreds.
The Delimitation report is secret, meanwhile 55 positions of Members of Parliament have been created. Where this seats are is a secret! How do you debate some thing you don’t know?
The Census Report is still secret.
9 Provinces were given Provisional Population figures in a Statement to Parliament by Minister of Finance, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, no figures were given for Southern Province. Why?
Fake Census-> Fake Delimitation Report -> Political Hegemony.
Once the Sacreds and Allied Sacreds get the Legislature, that’s the end of democracy in Zambia. Parliamentary seats will be skewed to a specific region..
A hegemony which will be perpetual is being created.
Wake up Zambia.