The Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025
- Name of the Bill as appearing on the Order Paper:
The Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Stage of the Bill:
- Summary of What the Bill Proposes to Do
This Bill proposes to amend the Constitution of Zambia to revise various provisions relating to the composition and functioning of the National Assembly, electoral processes, and local government structures. It seeks to increase the number of constituency-based seats in the National Assembly from one hundred and fifty-six to two hundred and eleven, to give effect to the delimitation report issued by the Electoral Commission. In doing so, the Bill also introduces a mixed-member proportional representation electoral system for electing Members of Parliament. Under this new system, the first-past-the-post method will apply to constituency-based seats. At the same time, women, youths, and persons with disabilities will be elected through proportional representation. The seats are distributed based on the total number of votes obtained by political parties on the proportional representation ballot.
The Bill further proposes to revise the procedures for filing nominations, addressing resignations and disqualifications of candidates, and handling vacancies due to death. It amends the provisions concerning by-elections, specifying that these shall not be held within one hundred and eighty days before a general election. It also seeks to revise the number of nominated Members of Parliament and to harmonise the terms of Parliament and councils to a unified five-year period, beginning from the first sitting after a general election. Additionally, the Bill provides for a vacancy in the office of Minister and Provincial Minister ninety days before a general election and removes the two-term limit previously applicable to the offices of mayor and council chairperson.
The composition of councils is revised to include Members of Parliament holding constituency-based seats, and the Bill also updates the qualifications for appointment to the office of Secretary to the Cabinet. It allows the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General to continue in office after a general election until new appointments are made. The Bill clarifies the period within which an election petition must be concluded and amends several definitions, including those of "child", "adult", "election", and "term", to provide legal clarity and consistency. It also makes provision for various related and incidental matters.
- When the Bill has been Gazetted as an Act of Parliament:
[To be updated when the Act is gazetted]
- Contacts for submission of Comments: Email the National Assembly or Visit the National Assembly Submission Portal