Parliament Passes Bill To Change Election Laws
Zambia’s parliament made headlines on Monday by passing a bill that changes some constitutional rules around elections. The opposition is raising concerns, claiming this move will give President Hakainde Hichilema an unfair advantage in the upcoming polls next year.
Opposition leaders, along with various civil society and church groups, have been vocal against Bill 7. They argue that it was pushed through too quickly and will ultimately favor Hichilema and his UPND party in the August 2026 elections.
The bill aims to tweak several articles in the constitution of this copper-rich southern African nation. One of the key changes includes increasing the number of elected parliamentary seats and ensuring that 40 of those are reserved for women, youth, and people with disabilities. Additionally, it removes the previous limit of two five-year terms for mayors.
“This is a covenant with the Zambian people to promote fairness,” Justice Minister Princess Kasune said after the 131-2 vote.
The bill has to be signed by Hichilema to become law.
Lawmaker Francis Kapyanga from the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) said he would not “legitimise an illegality”.
Political tensions in the nation of 22 million have come to a head with a standoff surrounding the burial of Hichilema’s predecessor from the PF, Edgar Lungu, who sadly passed away in a hospital in neighboring South Africa this past June.
Lungu’s family has decided against bringing his body back for burial, primarily because Hichilema expressed a desire to lead the funeral proceedings.
In response to the passing of Bill 7, Makebi Zulu, a spokesperson for the Lungu family and a hopeful candidate for the PF presidency, took to social media to say, “The fight for democracy and the respect for the rule of law truly begins today.”
Hichilema, who is gearing up for his second term under the constitution’s limit of two five-year terms, acknowledged that the bill had “tested” the nation’s unity but emphasized the importance of respecting the outcome of the parliamentary vote.
Parliament Passes Bill To Change Election Laws
