Law society wants Constitution Bill withdrawn

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) said it has carefully reviewed the provisions of the Constitution Amendment Bill and is now calling for its withdrawal, reports the Lusaka Times. The government has signalled its intention to introduce this Bill in the National Assembly as part of efforts to reform the country’s constitutional order. LAZ said it noted with concern that the proposed constitutional amendment process excluded stakeholders and citizens from meaningful involvement. It said the Bill appeared to have been published in the Government Gazette merely for the public’s general information, without any clearly established pathway for participation prior to its submission to the National Assembly. It is LAZ’s position that the Constitution is a people’s document, and the participation of citizens in its formulation must not be compromised. It says some of the proposed amendments 'risk eroding the democratic foundations on which our country is built'. ‘ ... Constitution Amendment Bill lacks the broad-based stakeholder engagement and consensus required to deliver a legitimate and acceptable constitutional reform process.' LAZ will convene a public forum to provide members and the general public with an opportunity to express their views on the ongoing constitutional reform process.

Full Lusaka Times report