The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has briefed civil society organisations (CSOs) on a new Resettlement Management Bill 2026 designed to address unfair displacement, compensation and livelihood restoration for displaced persons and delays in development projects arising from displacement.
OVP Director of Resettlement, Cooper Chibomba, stated that Zambia does not have a legal framework on Displacement, and that the current legal framework is fragmented across at least five pieces of legislation, resulting in weak coordination and, in some cases, confusion over institutional mandates relating to displacement.
Chibomba explained that weak coordination among government institutions leads to inconsistent compensation practices across similar projects in different regions, and the government is deeply concerned about these trends.
He further noted that the proposed legislation aims to establish a unified framework with clear definitions of displacement, asset valuation methods, replacement and market value, and mandatory compensation before physical relocation.
The director emphasised that the Bill would reaffirm the Office of the Vice President, Resettlement Division as the approver of all Resettlement Action Plans, while requiring consultation with line ministries and other government agencies, professional bodies and affected households, among others.
Chibomba observed that current practices often leave displaced persons worse off, particularly those on communal or customary land, and the Bill seeks to introduce livelihood restoration and a multi-layered grievance mechanism, as an alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism.
The OVP director added that accountability and transparency would be reinforced, with project licences subject to conditions that prioritise human dignity and constitutional rights to property, protection of vulnerable groups and equality.
Chibomba was speaking in Lusaka during a national consultation to prepare civil society submissions on the proposed Resettlement Management Bill 2026.
The meeting brought together CSOs and government representatives from the Resettlement Division.
Meanwhile, Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) Executive Director Maggie Mwape who spoke as Chairperson of the CSO engagement on the Bill, underscored that collective action is critical to transforming the proposed legislation into a meaningful tool for justice and sustainable development.
Mwape urged CSOs to speak with one unified national voice and ensure that the proposed Resettlement Management Bill 2026 becomes a law that puts affected communities first.
She explained that together, CSOs can help deliver a Resettlement Management Bill that protects rights, restores livelihoods, and builds trust in development projects across Zambia.
Mwape highlighted that the Bill presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix fragmented laws, weak coordination, and inconsistent compensation that have left many Zambians worse off after development projects.
She noted that the Bill promises a rights-based, development-oriented resettlement framework that protects vulnerable groups and ensures no one is displaced without fair treatment.
Mwape explained that on 1st April 2026, CSOs attended a briefing at the Resettlement Division where the Assistant Director, Mweemba, updated them on Cabinet’s approval of the cabinet memo on 16th March 2026 to draft the Bill.
She added that CSOs present at that briefing requested time to hold national and provincial consultations to prepare submissions based on the Bill structure shared by the Division.
Mwape pointed out that the April 9th national consultation will be followed by virtual provincial consultations next week.
She further stated that civil society is not just a stakeholder but an essential partner in ensuring the Bill is strong, practical, and people-centred.
Mwape urged participants to review and strengthen the draft submission, agree on key recommendations, and finalise a unified CSO position that the Resettlement Division can take forward.
