Five Opposition Parties Endorse Bill 10

Five opposition parties have come out in favour of the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill 10, marking a late surge of support as the government prepares to introduce the legislation to the National Assembly this session. 

Parties coming out in support of the bill include the Christian Democratic Party, National Congress Party and the Zambia Republican Party.

At a press conference in Lusaka yesterday, Christian Democratic Party president Danny Pule called on Zambians to support the bill for its proposed changes to electoral boundaries.

“As the Christian Democratic Party with all the countrywide structures we are in full support of bill 10 and other politicians should embrace it as it means well for the country. Once enacted it will lead to the delimitation of constituencies as the current 156 are not enough with the population growth that we have had. Without bill 10 there is no way the constitution can be amended,” he said.

The support comes as civil society organisations continue to push back against the bill, with a joint statement from Transparency International, ActionAid Zamia and Operation Young Vote (among others) arguing that the bill would “reverse all the gains that we have made as a country on the Constitution.”

Among the most contentious and concerning provisions in the Bill are the re-introduction of deputy ministers, the permitting of ministers to stay in office during elections and scope for interference in the appointment of judges. All of which opposition and civil society claim are designed not to benefit the citizenry, but to strengthen the PF’s grip on power ahead of elections next year.  

The bill also contains several worrying provisions relating to the government’s management of the economy, allowing the president to contract debt without parliamentary approval. These clauses have prompted particular concern as Zambia continues to teeter on the edge of mass debt default.