Technical Committee Public Sittings Commence In Lusaka Province

11/12/2025

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

By: Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendments Secretariat

The Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendments has started receiving submissions from the members of the public in Lusaka Province.

The Public Sittings, which are being held at Mulungushi International Conference Center, are providing an opportunity for citizens to have their say on proposed changes to the nation's supreme law.

Prominent among those who made submissions included veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga and former Zambezi East MP, Maxwell Mukwakwa.

Mr. Mwaanga proposed that the government should create more constituencies and wards across Zambia. He said this would ensure fair representation and a more balanced distribution of national resources.

He also suggested that the number of MPs nominated by the President should be increased from the current 8 to 10 to help promote national unity.

Mr. Mwaanga further urged for more women, youths, and people with disabilities to be included in Parliament and council positions. “Since 1964, we have talked about this, but nothing has been done. It is my view that the National Assembly should have at least three youths and two people living with disabilities,” he said.

Earlier, Mr. Mukwakwa made a strong call for more women in politics. He proposed that women should make up 30 percent of parliament and local councils. He said that the National Assembly should have 63 female MPs and 148 male MPs.

Ms. Dongo Mubanga, a visually impaired person, added her voice, stating that the current number of persons with disabilities in Parliament is too low. She called for more seats to be given to people with disabilities, as well as to the youth and women.

A senior citizen, Mr. Dante Saunders, submitted that a President's immunity should be removed immediately after leaving office. However, he proposed it should be reinstated after a grace period of 90 days.

Nelson Mwale from the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) was against filing in of new nominations each time a candidate withdrew their candidature in an election. He also supported raising the number of youth, women, and people with disabilities in office, suggesting that women should make up 60 percent of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Patrick Kaumba, Executive Director of Governance, Elections, Advocate and Research (GEARS), said his organisation supports the creation of new constituencies. He said delimitation is important to ensure that national funds are shared fairly. He also called for more women, youth, and persons with disabilities to participate in governance.

The committee's public meetings are set to continue.

#WeThePeopleOfZambia #Zambia #ConstitutionalAmendments #PeopleDriven #YourVoiceMatters

For more information, contact:

Spokesperson – Dr. Landilani Banda (0958122282)

Email: submissions@constitution.gov.zm / infor@constitution.gov.zm

Visit our website: constitution.gov.zm