PRESIDENT HICHILEMA COMMITS TO ADDRESSING CIVIL SOCIETY CONCERNS OVER NGO BILL AND CYBERSECURITY LAW
Lusaka, June 24, 2025 — President Hakainde Hichilema has announced the government’s willingness to address key concerns raised by civil society organizations regarding the NGO Bill and the recently enacted Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act.
This follows a high-level consultative meeting held today with leaders from the country’s three major church mother bodies and representatives from civil society.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page issued after the meeting, President Hichilema reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to open, inclusive dialogue, especially in light of the proposed constitutional amendments currently under consideration.
He emphasized that the constitutional reform process must reflect the will of the Zambian people and build consensus across all sectors of society.
“We agreed to address the concerns raised by civil society regarding the NGO Bill and the Cyber Security Crimes Act,” the President stated.
“The constitution belongs to the people of Zambia, and our goal is to deepen our democracy and promote inclusivity, especially for marginalised communities.”
The meeting brought together senior representatives from the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), alongside key civil society stakeholders. These discussions form part of the government’s broader effort to ensure that the constitutional review process is participatory and responsive to public input.
President Hichilema explained that constitutional reform had not been prioritised at the beginning of his administration due to the pressing need to stabilize the country’s economy and resolve the national debt crisis.
However, with progress now being made on the economic front, the government is shifting focus to institutional and legal reforms.
He also confirmed that the government had agreed with church and civil society leaders to develop a broad-based roadmap that will guide the constitutional review process moving forward.
“Our aim is to create a stronger democratic foundation and accelerate national development through genuine inclusivity and collaboration,” President Hichilema said.
© UPND Media Team