THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has approved an increase in the number of Parliamentary seats from the current 150 to 240.
The NCC has also approved the proposal contained in the Mung’omba Draft Constitution to introduce a new type of elected representative in the National Assembly where 30 members of Parliament (MPs) will be elected under Proportional Representation (PR) through an Act of Parliament.
The Committee also adopted Article 159(1), which, once enacted in the new Constitution, will allow the 200 MPs to be directly elected on the basis of the simple majority under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) segment of the mixed member representation system provided for by the Constitution and as may be provided by or under an act of Parliament.
Under Article 159, 30 MPs would be adopted on the basis of the PR segment of the mixed member representation from a list of candidates submitted to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) by each political party contesting the elections as provided by the Constitution and by, or under, an Act of Parliament.
When supporting Article 159, some Commissioners said the adoption of the PR in the new Constitution would improve the representative nature of Parliament and increase the number of youths, women and disabled people elected to Parliament.
The Committee approved that the PR be set at 30 seats of the number of constituency-based seats elected through the FPTP system.
The Committee created a Parliament consisting of 251 members, out of whom 200 members are to be elected on FPTP system, 30 members to be elected through the PR while a maximum of 10 members are to be nominated by the Republican President.
The NCC Commissioners, who supported the adoption of all clauses under Article 159, said that the adoption of the Article would ensure a mixed-member Parliament that will make the National Assembly more inclusive by targeting the PR seats at women, youths and persons with disabilities.
Vice-President George Kunda, who supported the clauses, said the adoption of Article 159 will play a pivotal role in Zambia’s democratic system as it will ensure that people in the country have full representation in Parliament.
Chief Mumena, who also supported the adoption of Article 159, called for affirmative action in coming up with a 50-50 representation in Parliament.
And Anti-Voter Apathy executive director Bonny Tembo supported the adoption of Article 159, saying the adoption of all the clauses under Article 159 will embrace all the people in the country.
“Democracy is not static but dynamic and I feel that Article 159 should be adopted to ensure that we come up with an inclusive Parliament, and this will help us to promote development in the country as there will be equal representation,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Which will also increase the number of mps that will demand for gratuity
What a waste of resources (both for the NCC and additional MPs). What you need is the introduction of a results-based agenda, and let politicians account for their wages, and streamline bureaucratic govt processes (why should issuing a new passport be so complicated?) -as opposed to the current system where all they do is moan, argue and brown nose. The UK govt has a new body, the OGC, which is introducing efficiency gains in the public sector by reducing costs while enhancing delivery; Obama has appointed a guru to lead a similar initiative. Thats the way forward. When did bigger govt become a solution? Or does the govt need more crowds at the airport to see off the Prez. As ever, we seem to be taking the opposite route in development…
Honestly Lusaka Times, this story has been running on the watchdog for the past three days? Why do you do such things?
crap from LT as usual. This story is not news anymore. LT was waiting for other to write for them. shame
zambia honestly makes a big joke of its people, i have never imagines such selfishness. they are just creating jobs for each other..awe zambia abantu bacula pafula..
You guys at the NCC, this is what you can give Zambians? There is almost 70% increase in the size of gonvt. Do you have money to pay all those fat gratuities , allowances etc? Why cant you use these resources for development? Kwena Ba ngwele mwaya sana!!! ITS NOW SANGWAPO…NO CARE FOR THE POOR ZAMBIANS…Ba mambala just wait , we will come and stop that nosense.
The Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen says the official story of September 11 is “a fiction, and not a very good one”.
I support the idea as it has long term benefits. As for now its cost implications are high. An increase of 60%. In any case this is the high price we pay for democracy and there are no 2 ways about it. I am sure the minority groups need representation in parliament. I hope the implementation will be done before 2011. Some constituences are big in places such as N/Western, Northen, Copperbelt, Western, Central and Southern Provinces. It becomes very difficult to campaign given the scenario that some candidates may not be able to organise enough resources to go around especially for the youth who may be starters in politics. I support the move by NCC.
I thought the parliamentary seat would be reduced to just about 100! Don’t see the need for that lot. If it iz for the purpoze of giving gratuity to a lot more then fine.
what do the current MPs do other than just sitting in parliament? we do not need them. It is just a waste of resources.
I hope RB does not sign this amendment because we cannot afford to be spending money on talk shops when Schools are failing, hospitals are in a dysfunctional status, govt retirees have not been paid for decades. I am totally opposed to this type plunder of resources. We shoul infact cut down the number of Mps and operate with one MP per district. Please Read Henry Kyambalesa’s article and listen to his wise counsel. RB, take this very seriously and make a progressive mark on zambia for once please.
This is absurd. Do we have the resources to pay all these fools?
This is absolute nonsense. Considering the population of 12 Million people, each MP will only be representing at an average 5000 people. If we take into consideration the Unemployment Rate: 50.00 % (more than 6 years ago records) and the Population in Poverty of more than : 86.00 % that means these MP basically will be milking a dead cow for their survival. In fact a reduction of MPs was the most justifiable thing to do. As resources dwindle, the noble and prudent thing to do is reduce the number of parasites. At this point the constitution must be considering removing the clause of nominated MPs as these MPs represent one person, the President. How can you have a 10 MPs representing 1 individual? This is undemocratic as these MPs become tools of oppressing the opposition.
There is a typo on 5000, I meant 50,000, that is including even those in Jails, Children, and illegals. In the US one congressman has about 693,000 per congressman. And they deliver.
Waste of money, these fools and id…s at NCC are now thinking with their pockets, God we sort you out, you dogs.
Parliament has become a get rich quick scheme. We do not need these extra MPs who do nothing. Politics is supposed to be the domain for people that wish to serve. The only payments MPs need to be paid is the actual cost of their traveling and accommodation expenses. Steps need to be taken to stop gold diggers from aspiring to go to Manda Hill. For example only people that can demonstrate that they will be able to perform their duties as MPs without goverment support must be allowed to contest as MPs. They can get support from their resources or from private sponsorship and companies. We have seen individuals who want to improve their lives and pay for their own education or health. I do not see why an individual that wants to improve the lives of his community can fail to organize funding.
Yes let it be, twalibelela … we’ll happily pay them. We live as if it’s not us who pay the taxes that make been a senior ZED govt offcial or MP so lucrative. We can’t even take a leaf from the far well-off American citizens who are effectively airing their opposition to Obama’s Health reforms, fearing it implies higher taxes.
“You could judge the quality of governance in an African country by the size of the head of state’s motorcade: the bigger the entourage, the worse the leader”
-Robert Rotberg.
True or false?
Ita very sad that our leaders in NCC can not simplify the language used in our own constitution for the most poor zambians to understand especially villagers, i rememebr during the constitution reveiw commission which went through out the country between 2004 and 2005 we advocated for the simplification of jugons and language used in contitution into local languages so that even our friends and family in our own villages they can fully understand our constitution, beside stheyb are the marjority when it comes for elections.
WTF…so we can have more people dozing and booing each other.For real????
We have to share the national cake, that is the whole idea. We all have to benefit from the toil of others– Bonse tulilepo.
DONT WORRY ZEDIAN THAT IS WHAT WE CALL “JOB CREATION” Zambians needs jobs on the expense of other Zambians. Be ready for more jobs in the mines….
How was the 240 arrived at? That number is huge… we don’t need it. I agree however, that the number of MPs be upped but along these lines. Divide up the big constituencies into manageable ones, that will determine the number by which we should increase. I guess it will be less than 10. The president can also nominate 10 more (that is 2 more above the current 8). The 30 under Proportional Representation doesn’t make sense and must be abandoned. It will be an unnecessary cost. What this will mean is that 160 seats will be electable, 10 presidential nominees, altogether, 170 MPs. For the sake of special interest groups, I would proposal just another 10. These can be elected by their special inerest groups. Zambia is too poor to simply give jobs to people like that…….. think!
Colnel Nkunika are you one of the so many MPS. Indeed zambia does not need all those robbot MPs who cannot open their mouths to oppose anything in parliament for fear of losing their jobs. Zambia needs mps who can fight for better health and education services better roads etc in their constituencies not just dancing to the tune of the president. We are losing it in Zambia.Remember all you politicians it is the people of Zambia who have put you in those offices therefore serve them do not take them for granted they will definitely vote you out of office in 2011 if you do not deliver the goods.
All you politicians in Zambia are nothing but a bunch of thieves.Ninsanwapo and na tola fye no kulilapo .Shame on you.please pave the way for vibrant well knowledgeable ,intelligent full of wisdom and educated young women and men who will take Zambia to another level where it will gain recognition globally.Let the Obamas of Zambia lead our nation. we are tired of just seeing the same faces in politics .These people have the same old policies .Politics in Zambia are what is called recycling process.
The is total Rubbish, Nonsense