PREVIEW
Constitutional amendment that increases the size of the National Assembly may boost president’s power
President Hakainde Hichilema has got his constitutional amendment bill over the line, a move that will increase the size of the National Assembly and scrap term limits for mayors and council leaders.
Its main provision is to increase the number of parliamentarians from 156 to 211, significantly fewer than the 246 initially proposed. The changes mean the introduction of a Mixed Member Proportional Representation system in which constituency MPs would be elected via first-past-the-post and additional seats allocated based on parties’ share of the vote.
The government’s rationale is that many constituencies are too big. The amendment states that the seats nominated on the basis of proportional representation would prioritise women, youth and persons with disabilities. However, critics say that increasing the National Assembly’s size is a ruse for gerrymandering.
The constitutional reforms were proposed in March only to initially be thrown out by the Constitutional Court on the grounds that there had been no public participation. Though many civil society organisations have since endorsed the reforms, which obtained a rare cross-party majority with most of the opposition Patriotic Front’s 55 MPs voting for it, there are plenty of fears it will be used to entrench the control of Hichilema’s United Party for National Development.
The timing of the changes, less than a year ahead of general elections, has also raised eyebrows.
Hichilema swept to victory over Patriotic Front’s Edgar Lungu in 2021 in part on a promise to reduce government graft. His popularity has waned considerably since as living standards continuing to fall and the economy struggles with the burden of US$13 billion of external debt built up during Lungu’s presidency.
This has led to Hichilema showing his authoritarian side, imposing tougher rules on electronic communications as well as public protests, while also targeting Lungu, who died in June, and his family (AC Vol 66 No 11, HH tries to take Lungu out of the game & Vol 66 No 12, After death, still bitterness).
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