In the last fifty years, Zambia has engaged in numerous efforts to develop a new constitution. Prior constitutions include the 1964 Independence Constitution, the 1973 Constitution and the 1991 Constitution. In addition, there has been significant constitutional amendments, including those of 1969 and 1996. The efforts have been directed at adopting a more democratic structure, as well as political institutions that would be less susceptible to political manipulation. At the core of the demands is a call for the development of viable institutions of state that promote participation, transparency, accountability and devolution in governance. Excessive concentration of power in the executive has put constitutional and institutional reforms on the national agenda. In January 2016 the Zambia Parliament adopted numerous amendments to the 1991 constitution. The Government hailed the amendments as a new era in democratic governance in Zambia. However, the amendments have been criticized by many both for the way they were adopted and for the substance contained in the amendments. In this article, we examined the 2016 amendments against the core demands of the people for a new and more democratic constitution and endeavored to see if those demands have been met.