President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and Kasama Archbishop Ignatius Chama has called for caution and broad consultation in the Government’s ongoing efforts to amend the Republican Constitution ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
Speaking during his weekly appearance on Lutanda Radio in Kasama — monitored by Radio Icengelo News — Archbishop Chama said while constitutional reform is a noble undertaking, it must be guided by consensus and the aspirations of the Zambian people, rather than political expediency.
He observed that the Government appears intent on incorporating the provisions of Bill 7 of 2025 into the Constitution before the 2026 polls, but warned that rushed amendments risk undermining public confidence in the reform process.
“Amending the Constitution is a noble cause,” Archbishop Chama said, “but it must reflect the will of the people. Zambia has unfortunately developed a tendency to alter the Constitution according to the wishes of those in power rather than the aspirations of the citizens.”
Delivering part of his message in Icibemba, Archbishop Chama appealed for divine guidance, cautioning that the country’s fast-paced approach to constitutional changes could prove counterproductive.
“Ala natulombe kuli Lesa umutekatima wakwe muli uyu mulimo usuma uwakwalulamo fimo fimo mu lupapulo lwesu. Ama speed yalepaya,”
he said, meaning “Let us ask God for His guidance in this important work of reforming our Constitution. Things are moving too fast.”
He further noted that constant constitutional changes driven by shifting political interests risk turning Zambia into a nation where the Constitution changes with every government, rather than standing as a lasting reflection of national consensus.
“Pantu mukuchita ifintu lubilo lubilo, nomba natusanguka Icalo cicinja ifyaba mulupapulo cilanshita ubuteko bwa cinja. Nokucila natusanguka Icalo icicinja ulupapulo ukulingana nefyo ubuteko bulefwaya, tefyo abantu balefwaya,” he cautioned — urging leaders to act in the spirit of unity and patriotism.
Archbishop Chama concluded by expressing hope that the newly constituted Technical Committee on Constitutional Reforms would carry out its work with patriotism, honesty, and transparency, ensuring that any amendments truly serve the interests of the Zambian people.
You mandate is convince people there is a God
Politics is out of your boundries
How can they stick to that mandate when the country is in a crisis in both governance and the economy. Of course, the cadres that replaced the dethroned cadres from the bus stops are now the clergy, you can tell which one belongs to which party. No objectivity at all, they are those who consistently support UPND regardless of whether a particular issue demands reprimanding of UPND – No objectivity at all
Church, which has a membership of 20+% of the population thinking that have some kind of devine right to dictate to government and MP’s.
Everyone knows that the Catholics, are not honest brokers in this and indeed is a wing of PF.
Why did they not seek the input from other faiths and look to have a consensus on this?
The fact is that, they are arrogant and believe they are superior to the other faiths, who incidentally make up the other 70+% of the population.
For religious input to be credible, a body like the Zambian council of churches which encompasses all religions should be presenting.
Not the catholic bishops club. The lack objectivity.
Laura Miti. Where are you hiding again? You are entitled to challenge Bishop Chama but leave Bishop Banda alone. Can’t you see the difference? The right time to catch bandits is prevention. Running after them after perpetration is likely to yield almost nothing