ZAMBIA – The Chandler Institute of Justice (CIJ) and Zambia's National Prosecution Authority (NPA) have formalised a partnership to undertake a comprehensive reform of two foundational pieces of criminal legislation: the Criminal Procedure Code and the Penal Code. Together, these statutes govern how crime is defined, prosecuted, and adjudicated in Zambia. Recognising that both laws are overdue for modernisation, CIJ and the NPA have committed to a structured, evidence-based reform process that will reshape the experience of justice for every Zambian.

Building the Evidence Foundation for Reform

The partnership began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, establishing a shared commitment to strengthening Zambia's criminal law framework. Rather than beginning with drafting, CIJ and the NPA chose to first build a rigorous evidence base. CIJ convened a dedicated drafting retreat for senior NPA officers and an experienced criminal law subject-matter expert, bringing together frontline prosecutorial knowledge and comparative legal expertise in a focused, clause-by-clause review of the existing draft Bills. This retreat produced a comprehensive Technical Report, the intellectual and policy backbone of the reform, which assesses the coherence, currency, and practicality of the proposed changes and will guide the next phase of legislative drafting.

The reforms are expected to be transformative: consolidating existing legislation into single, coherent codes; introducing provisions on cybercrime, gender-based violence, human trafficking, financial crimes, and environmental offences; and embedding reformatory and restorative justice principles in line with the Chief Justice's vision for Zambia's criminal justice system.