Event Summary
On 3 October 2025, President Hakainde Hichilema appointed a Technical Committee to conduct wide-ranging public consultations and draft amendments to the Constitution of Zambia. On 21 October 2025, the Government released the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the technical committee. These ToRs are presented as a guide for the national consultation but closely mirror the rejected Bill 7. Instead of starting a truly open and people-driven process, the ToRs appear to be a new method to push forward the same controversial changes. These changes would allow the executive to gain more control over key state institutions, including Parliament, the Electoral Commission, and the judiciary. This has raised serious concerns among civil society, which sees it as a disguised attempt to reintroduce Bill 7.