Report of the Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights , Gender Matters and Child Affairs on the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 17 of 2015

Report Summary

The object of The Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) (No.) Bill, 2015, is to amend the Constitution of Zambia, Cap. 1, of the Laws of Zambia, so as to, among other things, revise the Preamble to the Constitution in order to recognise the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural character of Zambia to honour and recognise freedom fighters and ensure that all powers of the state are exercised in common interest reassert the supremacy of the Constitution; revise the provisions on citizenship in order to permit dual citizenship; provide for representation of the people through a majoritarian electoral system of electing the President of the Republic where the winning candidate must receive more than fifty percent of the valid votes cast and a mixed member proportional representation system of electing members of Parliament; provide for rights and obligations of political parties as well as the establishment and management of the Political Parties’ Fund; revise the provisions relating to the composition and procedure of the Legislature; revise the provisions relating to the Executive; provide for the election of the Vice-President of the Republic as a running mate to a presidential candidate; revise the provisions relating to the Judiciary in order to provide for the establishment of the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court as well as revise the jurisdiction of superior courts; provide for a devolved system of governance, the institution of the Chieftaincy and traditional institutions, values and principles of public service, and defence and national security; and revise the provisions relating to public finance.