Strong Public Support for Constitutional Amendment Process

Public engagement with the Technical Committee for the Constitution has surged across five provinces where it is currently sitting, with high turnout exceeding the committee's expectations, according to Dr. Landilani Banda, the Technical Committee Vice Chairperson.

In an interview with ZNBC, Dr. Banda expressed satisfaction with the response. "We are very happy, we are almost overwhelmed by the turnout in the various provinces, the citizens have shown up, the citizens keep on giving their submissions on the various aspects of the terms of reference," he said.

The committee has received diverse proposals from different provinces. Recent submissions have included a call from Northwestern Province to increase women's participation in governance, with advocates proposing specific measures to encourage the involvement of women, youths, and persons with disabilities in government leadership.

In Central Province, proposals have focused on extending political terms of office. Citizens there have suggested that Members of Parliament serve four-year, nine-month terms, while backing the delimitation of constituencies. Additional proposals from this region include allowing the Vice President, Attorney General, and Secretary to Cabinet to remain in office until the President-elect is sworn in.

Dr. Banda told ZNBC that the public has articulated a "diverse range of views, which is what we want to hear as a committee." He noted that the committee had previously hoped the constitutional amendment process would benefit the Zambian people, and early evidence suggests a positive response from citizens as the work will extend to different areas of the country in the following days and weeks.