OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA: DO NOT ASSENT TO BILL No. 64 OF 2026
Dear Mr. President,
Please excuse the unorthodox nature of this engagement. Given the urgency and gravity of the matter, and in the absence of any other immediate avenue, I humbly seek your indulgence.
Mr. President, I write to express deep concern regarding the proposed amendment to the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 6 of 2012, particularly the provisions affecting the composition of the Board of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD).
The proposed amendment contained in Bill No. 64 of 2026 threatens to reverse the significant progress Zambia has made in advancing and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. At the heart of disability rights is the principle of full inclusion, which is anchored on meaningful and functional representation.
Currently, the composition of the ZAPD Board includes representatives from various government ministries alongside representatives drawn from four categories of disability, with both male and female representation, as well as representation for youths with disabilities. This structure ensures that there are nine persons with disabilities serving on the Board, all bringing valuable lived experiences to inform policy and decision-making
These representatives play a critical advisory role by guiding ministry representatives on matters relating to the mainstreaming of disability issues within their respective mandates. The intention of this arrangement is not for ministry officials to direct the Agency, but rather to ensure that persons with disabilities actively shape policies and programmes affecting their lives.
However, Bill No. 64 of 2026 proposes reducing the representation of persons with disabilities on the ZAPD Board from nine members to only one. Mr. President, this proposal significantly weakens our voice, diminishes our participation, and undermines the very purpose for which the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities was established. In effect, it risks rendering the institution ineffective in fulfilling its mandate.
With Parliament having adjourned sine die, the responsibility now rests with your office. We understand that this amendment may have originated from recommendations made by a consultant; however, it appears that such recommendations were developed without adequate appreciation of the core principles governing disability rights and inclusion.
Furthermore, the disability sector was not meaningfully consulted during this process. This omission is contrary to both the spirit and obligations of international disability rights frameworks to which Zambia is a State Party. The proposed amendment is therefore not only regressive, but also inconsistent with the principles of participatory governance and inclusive representation.
In the interest of protecting the gains made in promoting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, we respectfully appeal to you not to assent to Bill No. 64 of 2026.
History will remember leaders not only for the laws they sign, but also for the voices they choose to protect. We remain hopeful that your office will stand on the side of inclusion, representation, and justice for persons with disabilities in Zambia.
Yours faithfully,
*Ms. Julien Mwape*
Disability Rights Advocate
and Person with Disability