SOLICITOR GENERAL BACKS PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMMENDMENTS
The Solicitor General, Mr. Marshal Muchende, SC, has emphasized the importance of the proposed constitutional amendments as a critical step towards unlocking Zambia’s social and economic development potential. He told the House of Chief during a sensitisation meeting with the traditional leaders, that the proposed amendments aim to address key challenges in the equitable distribution of resources and the efficiency of the electoral process.
The Solicitor General highlighted that the equitable distribution of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is essential for fostering development, particularly in rural areas. Currently, the CDF is distributed equally across constituencies, regardless of their size or population. This approach has proven inequitable, as some constituencies are vast and densely populated, while others are smaller. To address this disparity, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is urged to revisit constituency boundaries to ensure fair allocation of resources through amending some of the provisions in the Constitution.
The CDF serves as a vital tool for the Government to unlock economic potential, especially in rural areas. By ensuring equitable distribution, the CDF can better address the unique needs of each constituency, driving development and improving the quality of life for all Zambians.
The Solicitor General also underscored the non-contentious nature of the earmarked amendments, which aim to eliminate unnecessary expenditures on by-elections among others. Since 2021, Zambia has spent over 264 million Kwacha on by-elections—resources that could be channelled towards addressing pressing social and developmental concerns. The amendments seek to streamline the electoral process, ensuring that resources are utilized effectively for the benefit of the nation.
Recognizing the Constitution as a living document, Mr. Muchende SC, emphasized that the earmarked amendments to the constitution are to serve the greater good of the people of Zambia and address problematic provisions, ensuring that the Constitution remains a tool for national unity and progress. The Solicitor General called on all Zambians to support and participate in this process, fostering a unified approach to building a better future for Zambia.
Additionally, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Ms. Mwenya, addressed the need to revise provisions related to the filing of nominations following the resignation of nominee.
She stated that the revision of the provisions relating to the filing of nominations on resignation of a canditae to an electionvwill give effect to previous concerns from Constitutiional Review Reports and also to attend to the potential abuse of Article 52, (6) of the Constitution, which allows for a nomination process to be cancelled and restarted when a nominee resigns. Thereby leading to delayed elections, and incresaed costs of elections.
She stated that it is beneficial that this provision is amended so that when a candidate resigns, the remaining candidates will proceed to participate in the elections, as opposed to the refiling of fresh nominations which is unnecessarily costly to the country.
This is contained in an statement issued to the media by Ministry of Justice principal public Relations officer Joe Nkaandani
SOLICITOR GENERAL BACKS PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMMENDMENTS
