“UPND CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH THE CONSTITUTION!” — NJOBVU
Democratic Union (DU) President Ackim Antony Njobvu has strongly criticized the government’s decision to proceed with constitutional amendments under the framework of Bill 7, describing the process as “non-transparent, ill-timed, and politically motivated.”
Speaking following the unveiling of the Terms of Reference for the Technical Committee on Constitution Amendment, Njobvu expressed deep disappointment, questioning the government’s insistence on pushing forward with the reforms despite repeated calls for broader citizen participation.
“I am unhappy and disappointed. I don’t know why the government has continued to insist on amending the Constitution when we have told them several times that the process is not transparent,” he said. “The timing is not right, and the process was not initiated by citizens.”
According to Njobvu, the ongoing exercise undermines public confidence because it is being driven by the executive branch, rather than emerging from a people-led consultation process.
“For the process to be transparent, it must be initiated by sober, ordinary citizens people who do not have any vested interests or bias,” he stressed.
He accused the government of limiting national dialogue by restricting discussions to issues contained within Bill 7, a move he said silences citizens’ voices on broader constitutional concerns.
“Why is the government still limiting the issues to what is in Bill 7? We want the process to be open so that citizens can submit what they want included, not what the government wants to amend,” he argued.
The opposition leader further questioned the credibility of the Technical Committee, saying it appeared to have been formed with “preconceived conclusions.”
“How can the public contribute when the technical committee already comes with its hands full? The process can never be transparent as long as it was not initiated by citizens,” Njobvu added.
He also raised concerns about timing, citing the ongoing voter registration exercise and the approaching 2026 general elections as key distractions that make meaningful participation impossible.
“We have only a few months to the general election. Everyone is focused on registering as a voter. It makes no sense to engage in such an important process at this time,” he said. “If the government means well, they should restart the process after the general elections.”
Njobvu pointed out the absence of a clear timeframe for the constitutional review, questioning how the committee could consult all 114 districts before elections.
“Without a timeline, it’s impossible to know if the process will be truly consultative. How will they visit all 114 districts with so little time left?” he asked.
The DU leader accused the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) of manipulating national institutions to advance its political agenda, warning that the Constitution must not be used as a “tool for convenience.”
“No one trusts the UPND government anymore. They’ve been deceptive and manipulative. It’s always about mangala to (money). We can’t trust them with such an important national process,” he said.
Njobvu called for the withdrawal of Bill 7 and the initiation of a new, citizen-driven process after the elections — one rooted in grassroots consultation rather than executive imposition.
“If the government truly wants to capture the aspirations of Zambians, they must go to the people without any pre-written agenda. Let Zambians say what they want included in their Constitution,” he urged.
He emphasized that opposition parties are ready to participate in a transparent process, but not one that “appears designed to serve political interests.”
“It will be very difficult for us to support a process that is neither transparent nor inclusive,” Njobvu concluded. “We need safeguards — otherwise, the entire exercise risks being another political project disguised as reform.”
©️ KUMWESU | October 21, 2025