The constitution national conference has adopted Article 18 of the draft constitution which provides that a Zambian Citizen can acquire dual-citizenship.
Article 18 (1) in the draft constitution states that “A citizen shall not lose citizenship by acquiring the citizenship of another country”.
The proposal was widely supported, though some delegates from the Government wondered why a Zambian should acquire citizenship of another country.
But the majority of the delegates said the constitution was not only for now but was mainly for the children who would find themselves in situations where they would need dual citizenship.
The Government has been on record of not supporting the Dual Citizenship clause.
Last year when President Michael Sata addressed Zambians in London, he said that amending the law to allow dual citizenship has its consequences. Mr Sata said that if the law was changed, there will be more Zambians and jobs will be taken away by other nationalities living in the country.
In response to a question from a Zambian living in England during a dinner hosted for him at the Zambian High Commissioner’s residence. Mr Sata advised Zambians living abroad to return home and compete for jobs with their compatriots.
The President also said that he has a duty to protect the majority of Zambians especially poor citizens.
The Vice President Guy Scott also expressed a similar sentiment of not being in support of the Dual Citizenship clause. Addressing Zambians living in Western Australia at Edith Cowan University in Perth when he addressed in 2011, Dr Scott said that although the issue of having dual citizenship among Zambians could be important and helpful to some, government was worried that other people might misuse it for dubious activities.
“The issue of dual citizenship was important but we are worried about the misuse it will bring. But it would be important that you are entitled to that,” he told Zambians in Perth.
And during the provincial Convention, Government Ministers rejected the inclusion of the Dual Citizenship clause. Leading the charge during debates, Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said that the clause should be rejected on patriotic and nationalist grounds.
Debating on the motion, Mr Sakeni urged Zambians to critically look at the issue of dual citizenship and ensure that it was not allowed in Zambia.
“AS Zambians, let us critically look at the issue of dual citizenship and take the interest of the nation at heart. Why do people want to be citizens of other countries in the first place,” Mr Sakeni said.
His sentiments were echoed by Labour Deputy Minister Ronald Chitotela who argued that dual citizenship would make it difficult to extradite Zambians who committed crimes if they moved to other countries where they had citizenship.
“Let us denounce dual citizenship because even countries like United Kingdom are having difficulties to extradite criminals,” Labour Deputy Minister Ronald Chitotela said.
With the adoption at the ongoing national convention, the Dual Citizenship clause stands a good chance of being included in the final Draft Constitution to be ready by the end of June.
Yebo
ZamAmerican
home is home!
Vielen Dank liebe deligates this is a very good development, i dont know why some people like shoting it down. At this point there is no turning back, its impossible to reject one clause from the constitution after this point. Yooooozaaaa Dual Citizenship
Don’t just think of people and crime, it’s not only about that, people do get married and have kids born out side of Zambia, why would you want to stop them from enjoying the best of both countries? And you wonder why Zambia is loosing talent like the musondas in football, always try and look at the bigger picture. How can a normal person ask why would you want get citizen of another country! Why not? It’s not a crime is?
GOOD
This is what we have been waiting for
ZamSouthAfrican. Way to go
Dont be excited ba Pompwe This will not be accepted SATA AND GUY SCOT THESE TWO DICTATORS ARE AGAINST DUAL CITIZENSHIP, am just waiting for them to die of old age and other natural causes then we can champion a new youthfull leader who is up to date with the global village and then We will get dual citizenship.
PF want a people driven costitution and it’s indeed coming. PF is prooving to be a progressive front. Nearly all Zambians are covered through the delegates, we should all seriously appreciate though some delegates are sleeping only working up at Tea breaks.
Ati this point we dont care what SATA or Dr Scott feel, whether Sata says he doesnt want the Dual citizenship or not it will matter less coz his job after these seatings and after parliament will be to Vito the document. Its either he signs it or not and all know the answer to that question. The tricky part was at the convention coz those guys seating at Mulungushi have the power to remove stuff from the draft, after this its heading in one direction baba.. Umuntu ni dual citizenship
This is the Way 2 Go
So whats the logic against dual citizenship? Oh you need the $50 visa fee I forgot about that.
my family will be now zamfin,zambians heheheeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZAMCHINA
Tswana/British/Zam
cHIMAIKO sATA, THE MOST DULL PERSON ON EARTH HAS NO DUTY TO DISCRIMINATE THE RIGHTS OF ZAMBINS, BECAUSE HE HAS NEVER PROTECTED ANY RIGHT IN HIS LIFE. REMEMBER THE CHAWAMA VILOELNCE, DAYS OF NAKAWALA AND WHAT IS NOW HAPPENING THIS THAT CH CRIMINAL NGOMA. AS LONG AS MAIKO CHILUFWANYA SATA REMAINS PREWSIDENT I WILL NOT GO BACK THAT STINKING ANIMAL FARM OF A COUNTRY- MA RUBBISH YEKA YEKA YEKA, VIBENE SAKENI , ATASE, KABIYENI UKO.
This sounds great,wonderful.
That is the problem of having old leaders, how can Sata with Guy Scott stop dual citizenship, and yet secretly they are employing some Zambians with foreign passports, Chirwa? The whole idea is for Zambian to benefit from more of the likes of Chirwa, but there Sata goes and tells Zambians that they will not have enough jobs because of foreigners, which ones, Zambians born in Zambia shall ever be Zambians. Us who were born in Zambia and grew up there always think about building the country, not the other way round. In short, we strive to open up business ventures back home, and that helps with job creation, which Sata has failed to do in any case. Tell your President to wake up and focus on many other serious issues.
Dual , no going back bamuchinga kolwes , maumfwa? *****s Sakeni and all others fools in rotten cabinet headed by a moving coffin
I can finally go to zed with my british passport and not hide it like Ghanaians, south Africans etc. Way to go hope Sata does not stand on the way of the cititzens wishes!
“The proposal was widely supported, though some delegates from the Government wondered why a Zambian should acquire citizenship of another country.” Really, there are people that still wonder why zambians want to acquire citizenship of another country?
Sadly yes! All of these chaps are claiming it is not good for National Security! I really wonder how Zambian leaders cannot see the benefits of this.
Government Leaders, look at it this way: When you go out, you do some nice education at a very low cost and that is possible with Citizenship or you work and make money. At some point you want to develop ‘something’. Now can you develop UK/ US/Finland/ Aus/ SA? Hell no! Them guys have done their home work. You look back you see so much still needs to be done in beloved but annoying Zambia (annoying due to it’s leadership), so you go back and invest or take back your education skills. You made money elsewhere and you take back the money back to Zambia, how is that bad.
If you are a citizen of the other country, you can at any time…
BemblyDutch mwana here we come!
BemblyDutch!
Those without any international connections obviously hate the dual citizenship thing. Zambia is still quite conservative and backward so im surprised this thing was adopted, how long before it becomes law ? They started this a while back , once I get my passport in this country im burning my zambian passport .
Don’t burn it please. Help out in Zambia. Life is hard back there. You may also do better if your take your skills or money and invest.
I can sees situation where by one person may end up having 4 passports from different countries. A boy whose father is a Zambian and his mum a Britishs obtain a British passport ,then Zambian passport later own marries a South African girl and obtain SA passport.Aparently that SA girl is from Australia and has an Australian passport .They relocate to Australia to settle.This boys yet again obtain an Austrlian passport.4 genien passport.
To the so called “issue solved” dual means two not four. Think out side the box and acquire yourself international connections you will not think the same.
Do you know what the word dual means? Hint- It’s not 4
No 23 flag Issue solved, you are a dodo! Dual Citizenship is for Zambians only as those wanting to be Zambian citizens who are of foreign nationality will have to qualify to be a Zambian. e.g. 10 years of residence for a foreigner if married to a Zambian. No foreigner born in Zambia of a diplomat or refugee qualifies as a Zambian. However, any child born to foreigner with a Zambian spouse automatically qualifies as a Zambian.
Your reasoning of a boy who is a Zambian and mum is British- yes qualifies for both British and Zambian citizenship by virtue of having a Brit/Zed parent; who later marries a South African does not automatically qualify for South African citizenship neither would he /she qualify as a Australian as there are qualification steps to be an Australian (similar to being a Zambian- 10 years residence). Anyway, why would anyone have 4 passports? You are being mischievous!
I am pleased with the progress and officially ‘cautiously optimistic’ about it being adopted.
ZamItalian,it’s about time mwe!
What do you expect from Suck-Any? He is a Star Cottage-trained shushushu. He doesn’t understand issues of globalisation. The UK does not extradite its citizens to countries where they would suffer disproportionately like face death sentences or countries with flawed legal systems. Suck-Any bases his arguments on what is happening with Abu Hamza. That has nothing to do with dual citizenship. That is a court issue.
ZamAussie(Zamaussies). Good nationality. In all exit points, remember this!!!!!!!!! Ni pa ZED.
ZamAussie here we come.
Why don’t we argue for GOING BACK TO LIVE IN CAVES???????
We live in an age where the world has an increasing population of Dual as well as Multi-nationals!!!
Like it or not, there are more zambians with dual nationality than ever before & they won’t stop!! All one has to do is maintain both passports & not sing about it – leaving our obnoxious illiterates with their heads buried in the sand!!!!
How exciting!
allo!!!!!!!! Bemba Canadians in the house…nishani Sakeni chi-colour????
# 25-it not true that children born of a Zambian spouse AUTOMATICALLY become Zambians this is only true if a child was born in Zambia. I am Zambian and my dota was born in Germany she doesnt qualify to be a Zambian automatically. She got a so called “ALIEN” NRC- until she will be 21 years she was told to decided what she wants to become a Zambian or a German. Now a child loves both mum and dad….she cant say she wants to be german only or Zambian only- she is both and loves both countries. (loves mum and dad) so for her to “AUTOMATICALLY” acquire Zambian citizenship I should have travelled to Zambia at 7 months or something to come and give birth here! how crazy! SINCE SHE WASNT BORN IN ZAMBIA SHE DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ACQUIRE TO BECOME A ZAMBIAN CITIZEN.
My Son and daughter were both born in the UK. Both their dad and mom are Zambians and they were given passports by GRZ so they are Zambians. Is that not the case with you even if their father is German? I think your daughter qualifies by ‘decent’ and they qualify for German citizenship by birth?
Can i be a zamberican?
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zambia/British/Australian lol
Norway does not allow dual citizenship. Duh!
PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION IS THE WAY TO GO!
hahahaha..pf MPs..mwaliba ko dull guys..lol
Its has some benefits as well as adverse effects to the nation, but lets first look at countries that adopted it in their constitution and see the challenges they are facing on dual citizenship. Please, Lusaka Times push for the retirement age to approved in the draft constitution. Also the issue of Zambians abroad or oversees should be given an opportunity to vote and the disabled. I pray to the Almighty God to give as wisdom and knowledge as we come up with a republican constitution that will stand a test of time.
way to go!
Introducing first Zamchikunda Americana…!!
ZamNam here i come……. boombastic
CHIA SIANJILIKA. Your daughter is Zambian now and anybody who tells you otherwise knows nothing about the law. Constitution Article 5. [Children of citizens of Zambia] A person born in or outside Zambia after the commencement of this Constitution shall become a citizen of Zambia at the date of his birth if on that date at least one of his parents is a citizen of Zambia.
Maybe some citizenship officers are just misleading you or looking for money or if you are the mother they still like to say you cant give citiznehsip to your children. That is rubbish.
But under present constitution she will have to choose between citizneships at 21 because if she keeps others after 21 she will lose her Zambian.
It is important that foreigners who get Zambian citizenship can also keep their other passports. That is only fair if Zambians want to have dual nationality that it is reciprocal. If a Zambian can get a British passport and stay Zambian then a British should be able to get Zambian citizenship and stay British also.
Zikomo kwambiri delegates and government. This is a positive move in the right direction for Zambia.
@ Sam Chungu-thanx for the info. I migrated back to Zed in 2007 and this was the Constitution that time, other than discriminating my dota, my hubby also cud not get a stay permit because I (the Zambian) is a woman and I cant “look” after him, I wonder how many people are aware that up to that time in 2007 if a Zambian man marries a foreigner she cud get stay permit right away and not vice versa.In 2007 my dota was then 14 years old and I had to apply for a study permit for her to go to school which costed us K2Million a year! as of now if she went to UNZA we would have to pay a lot of money cos she wasnt born in Zambia even if I am a Zambian mum she doesnt qualify ……….it is discriminatory and annoying, for families like us we would appreciate it to have a dual citizenship.
Zam-aussie. ……way to go.
ZamBritannia……. odi uko!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Siyabongatwatasha
Siyabonga twatasha
Which countries on earth apart from thefrench speaking allow dual nationality??is it not a crime in US or UK to be found with other countries passports if you are a citizen there. please advise me people, i do not want to lose what i already have
It is not a crime,Great Britain survived on dual nationality of its colonies
Tufwile twachilishya
Gosh!! Ive tried but still cannot phathom how Sata and Scott think…their basis for being anti dual citizenship is soooo rediculous. ?? Which planet are they living on, its a global village mwe banthu!! something wrong with their advisors really…I love my country but living in Sweden. I need to come back with my family and invest, just grant me the dual citizenship so that I go ahead with my big time investment. Job Creation!!
I love my beloved country Zambia!! Even though i am living abroad where everything seems perfect…I long for the day when i will return to the motherland to invest and help build my country. Please Mr President allowing dual Citizenship will allow me and alot others out there to have the confidence to make investments back home, to build etc….i dont want to have to choose between investing here or Zambia. If i cannot be a Zambian citizen anymore then you leave me no choice but to invest in a country that is already a thousand times way developed. Zambia needs its people living in the diasphora….and we need our roots to come back to. Viva dual citizenship for a better Zambia!!
I am born and raised in Zambia, moved to USA for Higher Education, managed to secure a job sponsoring me for work permit, then green card, then became a citizen. To be honest, at the time I did not think of what that would mean regarding my Zambian heritage. I have invested a lot of my savings in Zambia already- as I believe if God will allow, I want to die at home.
I still have my Zambian Passport, but a US Passport as well and obviously can not choose between the two. The place I am earning and the place I am saving and love. From what I believe, I can always renounce US citizenship and regain Zambian as I am born Zambian, but obviously I am hesitant to invest everything and then be denied right to land etc….either way, 4 now will maintain both citizenship as thousands are doing.
Well about time…. the govt should now know that the world is getting smaller and people need more flexibilty and take advantage of both citizenships and countries. This can help to build businesses and skills. eg I am a leaving in the UK, if I had not aquired my rights then I would have not gone to University and work and save money to build a business. Now I can say that I have the skills (IT) and cna come back to Zambia and develop further. This also works the other way to do business ie selling Zambian services and products to the UK, Euro USA therefore be free explore and open horizons. Think of tomorrow not only today. Think long term not short term. This will bring back Zambians who left and allow them to develop the country and the poor ordinary citizen.