Lusaka, March 26, 2025 – Justice Minister Princess Kasune has laid out a comprehensive roadmap for Zambia’s long-awaited constitutional amendments, signaling a decisive shift towards equity, accountability, and governance efficiency.
Outlined in Parliament today, the reform agenda anchored in the UPND’s 2021-2026 Manifesto seeks to address systemic imbalances in resource allocation, political representation, and electoral processes. The amendments, expected to shape Zambia’s democratic trajectory, will undergo public scrutiny before their finalization on July 25, 2025.
With Parliament leading the charge, the process kicks off immediately, beginning with today’s update, an Electoral Commission report on April 22, drafting from April 23 to May 20, and public consultations from May 21 to June 21. The phased approach aims to ensure broad-based participation, reinforcing transparency and inclusivity.
Among the key reforms proposed are constituency delimitation for fairer CDF distribution, guaranteed parliamentary seats for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and the elimination of costly by-elections which have drained K264 million since 2021. Other changes include harmonizing MPs’ terms, reintegrating lawmakers into councils, and closing legal loopholes affecting ministerial tenure, petitions, and electoral procedures.
The full official statement follows
Justice Minister Princess Kasune Unveils Constitutional Roadmap for a Fairer and More Equitable Zambia
Lusaka – The Honourable Minister of Justice, Princess Kasune, MP, today announced a roadmap for constitutional amendments, presented to Parliament on behalf of the UPND New Dawn Administration. Rooted in the UPND 2021-2026 Manifesto, these changes prioritize equity and inclusion and have been repeatedly advocated by a cross-section of our people.
We’re tackling long-overdue issues—ensuring resources like the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) reflect constituency size and population, not just uniform allocation, addressing disparities where some areas rival European nations in scale yet receive the same as smaller ones. These changes will ensure women, youth, and differently-abled citizens have a guaranteed voice in Parliament and cut wasteful by-election costs, which have amounted to K264 million since 2021.
Since July 2024, the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s Technical Committee—comprising political parties, churches, academia, youth groups, and eminent persons—has gathered stakeholder views, reinforcing these non-contentious reforms.
The bill will be gazetted for 30 days, giving every Zambian the opportunity to take part and shape these reforms.
Hon. Princess Kasune outlined key changes:
Constituency Delimitation: Amend Articles 58 & 68 to redraw boundaries for equitable CDF distribution by size and population.
Candidate Resignation: Amend Article 52(6) to proceed with elections if a candidate resigns, avoiding fresh nominations.
Enhanced Representation: Amend Articles 47(2) & 68 to guarantee seats for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
MPs in Councils: Amend Article 153(2) to reintegrate MPs into local councils for development synergy.
Election Petition Clarity: Amend Articles 73(2), 101(5), & 103(2) to determine petitions within 90 or 14 days.
By-Election Reform: Amend Article 57 to end party vacancy by-elections, saving K264 million plus K3.9 million per candidate.
Nominated MPs Increase: Amend Article 68(2)(b) to raise nominated MPs beyond eight, as set by Parliament.
MP Term Harmonization: Amend Articles 81 & 266 to fix Parliament’s term at five full years.
Ministers’ Vacancy: Amend Article 116 to vacate ministerial offices 90 days pre-election to curb misuse.
Mayor Term Limits: Amend Article 154(2)(b) to remove the two-term cap for mayors.
Secretary to Cabinet: Amend Article 176(3) to lower experience from 10 to 5 years for eligibility.
Attorney-General Continuity: Amend Articles 178(1)(b) & 179(4)(b) to retain officials until new appointments.
Child/Adult Definitions: Amend Article 266 to clarify “child” as under 18 and “adult” as 18+.
How I wish we starting looking at changes to the appointment of Judges, heads of government ministries (PS) to a meritocracy based system (candidates are interviewed in the open)
Elon Musk can delete the Zambian Parliament and Minister of Justice for wasteful spending.
This minister Kansime is an embarrassment to divorced women. Why give so much work to hungry citizens to discuss her…
Is CDF in constitution? So why should CDF determine size of land? Next will be short MPs will get less money compared to tall MPs.
Long awaited by whom? Raise the number of nominated MPs by what number?
So many questions here really.
Increasing presidentially hand picked MP’s is giving extreme power to the president.
Most of the demarcated ares will advantage the UPND as much of the areas are in their lands.
Youths, women and the disabled already have other statutes that allow them to be picked by the president or the party for elections purposes.
Roughly, all the clauses you have outlined are very CONTENTIOUS. Lady Kasune is pushing a dead horse. Failure.
Is this and loadshedding the final nail in the coffin
Good fight for the unpopular president! Gone! Fone! Goof!
Non contentious according to whom? I still see some contentious issues here.
Like seriously che is this what the president can be going all round misusing government resources to campaign for constitutional amendment? This government must not take us as we’re dull….. How can he adjust terms for MPs and leaving for presidential terms? He’s forcing women and youths to agree in public whilst we have got people’s representatives (MPs) why not allowing the parliamentary decisions as to debate over? Meaning he’s obligating the law by bypassing the people’s representatives and going all round by himself. Atekanye saana HH ekatuletelela!!!!! We know his plans and motives behind his forcing to amend the constitution. Better then they even include the presidential impeachment.
And Immunity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is diverting attention from important issues which have been difficult to attain by
New dawn.
Uyu namayo teshibe ifyo alelandapo. She needs to go with her HH. These tribalists want to make Zambia a Tongaland. I think Kambwili was right to call them Bantustan.
We don’t need any constitutional changes. What we need is food on the table, end load shedding, good exchange rate and keep up to all your promises. Constitutional changes are a non-issue at the moment.
You are trying what your friends’ failures was, hoping for the best. The Bill will not go anywhere. It will go to the same place the party in power will go. To the trash bin with nothing to recycle.
Why don’t they care sorting out issues of people of zambia wallowing in poverty? Is it that declaration of assets will expose the selfishness and rampant corruption of some political leaders in government? When the Reply becomes a risk to their stay in office it risks to be panel beaten by those wielding political influence?
THOSE MINISTERS WHO OVERSTAYED AFTER PARLIAMENT DISSOLVED 2016 WERE EVEN MADE TO PAY BACK SALARIES DRAWN. WHAT LAW DID RHE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT QUOTE THAT MADE OFFENDERS GUILTY AS CHARGED IF THERE IS NO SUCH LAW?
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Ministers’ Vacancy: Amend Article 116 to vacate ministerial offices 90 days pre-election to curb misuse.
Whatever new constitution is passed it will be inadequate without a clause allowing public referendums.Politicians are inherently selfish therefore some decisions can only be put to the voters for passage.
THats why Zambia will be forever changing its constitution. Every dictator we elect wants to change the constitution his way.
Let the changes be made after the elections to avoid misunderstanding. For now, please sort out the high cost of living and nothing more otherwise UPND will be a one term party.
Amendments must be done after the 2026 elections not now and must be subjected to a referendum. Period. What is the rush for
Make this useless list of amendments BID like Bill 10. Protect the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia! There is absolutely no need to touch the constitution with ANY of these so-called amendments. Put them in your party constitutions rather than castrating our sacred document. Ba mbuli!!!!