Bill 7 Passage Proves Democracy

Mwanajiti says passage of Bill 7 followed due process but warns against public misinformation

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 — (December 22, 2025) — Human rights defender and democracy champion Ngande Mwanajiti says the passage and presidential assent of Bill 7 stand as clear proof that Zambia’s democratic system is functioning, but has cautioned that democracy does not end with legislation and must be protected from misinformation and public misunderstanding.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Mwanajiti told this reporter that the enactment of Bill 7 demonstrates democracy in action, noting that constitutional institutions followed the prescribed process from parliamentary debate to presidential assent.

“The passage of Bill 7 and its assent demonstrate democracy at work,” Mwanajiti said during the interview, emphasising that due process was respected at every stage.

However, he warned, in the same interview, against interpreting the development as the conclusion of democratic engagement, arguing that Zambia must now shift toward informed participation and long-term, systemic national development.

“The real work begins now,” he said. “We must realign our thoughts toward systemic development and ensure that citizens are carried along in understanding what democracy truly demands.”

Mwanajiti further explained in the exclusive interview that democratic governance can only be strengthened when citizens understand not only their rights but also their duties and responsibilities.

“We must carry people along by ensuring that they understand the importance of duty and responsibility,” he said, adding that democracy thrives on informed participation, accountability, and respect for institutions.

He also told this reporter that there is an urgent need for increased investment in civic education and advocacy capacity-building, warning that high levels of illiteracy continue to expose citizens to manipulation and misinformation.

“We ought to educate ourselves on the basics of advocacy and confront the reality of our very high illiteracy levels,” Mwanajiti said.

 “This is necessary to avoid citizens being misled by criminally inclined politicians and ideologically bankrupt pockets of civil society leaders.”

According to Mwanajiti, as he stated in the interview, limited civic knowledge has allowed some political actors and compromised sections of civil society to distort public discourse, weakening genuine human rights advocacy and democratic accountability.

He urged civil society organisations, the media, faith-based institutions, and community leaders to prioritise public education, critical thinking, and issue-based engagement, describing these, in the interview, as essential pillars of a healthy democracy.

“Democracy is not sustained by fear or misinformation,” Mwanajiti said. 

“It is sustained by informed citizens, ethical leadership, and a shared commitment to the common good.”

Mwanajiti’s remarks, made during the exclusive interview, come amid heightened national debate following the enactment of Bill 7, with growing calls for greater transparency, civic awareness, and responsible leadership across Zambia’s political and civil society landscape.

© All rights reserved