OASIS FORUM TRIMS NEGOTIATING TEAM AS TALKS WITH HICHILEMA
By Brian Matambo | Lusaka
Fresh from a tense meeting at State House where she openly told President Hakainde Hichilema to withdraw Bill 7 and prioritise the Bill of Rights, Oasis Forum Chairperson Beauty Katebe has announced that the next phase of dialogue will involve a smaller, more focused negotiating team.
Her brief statement, delivered after the consultative meeting, comes on the heels of the earlier confrontation in which she sharply criticised the government’s constitutional amendment process and demanded that Bill 7 be taken off the table entirely.
“Thank you very much. Our submission at this stage is that we have held a prolonged dialogue aimed at ensuring a fair playing field. Both sides have presented their views,” Katebe said.
She explained that the next meeting, expected either tomorrow or the day after, will take place with reduced representation from both government and the Oasis Forum to allow for a clearer, more manageable discussion.
“The conclusion, for now, is that we will reduce the number of representatives from both sides who will attend the next meeting,” she said. “That is our conclusion at this point. Thank you.”
The shift signals a tightening of the negotiation structure as both parties attempt to break the deadlock surrounding Bill 7. In the earlier session, Katebe had delivered a forceful and widely noted intervention, warning that the constitutional process lacked legitimacy and demanding that the government restart it with legal safeguards and genuine inclusivity.
Her insistence that the Bill of Rights be prioritised has since set the tone for civic expectations, and the move to streamline the dialogue suggests the Oasis Forum intends to maintain clarity and discipline in the next round of talks.
The coming days will reveal whether the government is ready to move toward the reset that civil society has demanded, or whether the standoff over Bill 7 will deepen.
For now, the Oasis Forum’s message remains firm: the process must be corrected, the bill must be withdrawn, and the next meeting will be lean, targeted and decisive.
I totally agree with Iron lady Katebe. She is representing the views of citizens from all regions, except Southern province. Bill 7 must be withdrawn immediately. The only discussion that should be had is the Bill of rights. I sincerely pray Hakainde will listen and back down. He now at crossroads. He can decide how history will remember him. So far, his legacy is not flattering. He can salvage something from his one term of office. FTJ, for all his flaws, gave us Mwanawasa, the best president that we ever had.
REJECT TRIBALISM, CORRUPTION AND OPPRESSION.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
Dialogue is really the best way to resolve some issues.The new demand for the bill of rights is good but I feel for now the government has a lot of pressing demands especially issues concerning energy.The effects of drought need a number of mitigation demands to offer some relief to the vulnerable people of our society.The 2026 general election is just too close it will need some finance for preparations and sensitisation as well as the handling of actual election including printing of ballots.Probably the new demand may be considered in the next term if there won’t be bad experience of climate change.The climate change has caused many countries some challenges in economic growth.Zambia is better of although we have felt the effects too.
Tyrol you one of those people who appreciate when a servant is no more. You are sighting(sp) presidents who did what ever they could during their terms but when they were still in office you gave them pathetic names. You always bring down HH because he is still in the office but when he leaves it you will open your mouth praising him, look at you now! You are just talking about change, change, now the big question is why do you want to have HH out? You fail to state reasons which must make people realize HH is not a good leader. Of course one of the flattering reasons is what you always talk about, tribe. We are aware from what you post that you don’t like a Tonga to rule just like your uncle the late Lungu said. What you say speaks volumes that you are a nuisance tribalist. By sighting southern province proves much more. Now a peace of advise to you, can you stop pointing at tribe when you are writing your articles on these social medias. You are a danger to society. Follow the foot steps of these other leaders of yours who are advocating for change by not tribalising your talks because they have realized that such messages does not help instead they just bring division and they have got no impact at all. Remember 2021 election year. Did tribalism helped your fathers? No!!. Why southern province always on your mouth?
After listening to the 27 minutes video of introductions and summary, it is apparent that the Oasis Forum wants to have Bill 7 completely withdrawn and a Referendum to be conducted. Maybe there are valid reasons in the details. Our view is that the people of Zambia made their contributions through the Technical Committe which was lawfully constituted and the amendments are provided for in the Constitution. So, the question is who do these people of the Oasis Forum represent? The President intimated in the video that the same Oasis Forum had taken the matter to Court which is yet to determine the case and deliver its JUDGMENT. What were the Pleadings of the Oasis Forum in Court and would it not have been right for the Oasis Forum to wait for outcome of ConCourt JUDGMENT?