Sunday Chanda Calls for Immediate Public Release of ECZ Delimitation Report

Sunday Chanda Calls for Immediate Public Release of ECZ Delimitation Report

 Kanchibiya Member of Parliament Hon. Sunday Chilufya Chanda has issued a strong and principled call to the government to immediately release the full Delimitation Report prepared by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), citing transparency, fairness, and democratic accountability as the core reasons behind his appeal.

In a public statement released today, Chanda emphasized that the recent gazetting of “55” as the proposed number of new constituencies raises urgent questions that can only be answered through public access to the report. He stressed that delimitation though often viewed as a technical matter, is, in fact, a politically and socially significant process with major consequences for representation, resource distribution, and national development.

Below is the full statement as released by Hon. Chanda:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 31st May 2025

STATEMENT ON THE NEED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE DELIMITATION REPORT

As a Member of Parliament elected to serve the people of Kanchibiya and as a citizen deeply committed to the principles of transparency, equity, and democratic accountability, I wish to make a simple but important call to the Government on this Sabbath day.

It is in the spirit of national interest, beyond partisan lines, that I urge the Government to immediately make public the Delimitation Report prepared by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). The recent gazetting of the figure ‘55’ as the proposed number of new constituencies makes the need for openness even more pressing.

Delimitation is not merely a technical or administrative exercise. It carries far-reaching implications for representation, political participation, resource allocation, and equitable development across our Republic. Citizens have a fundamental right to know how boundaries are being redrawn and how such decisions will affect their voice in Parliament and access to national resources.

The integrity of our democracy depends not just on the outcomes of elections, but on the processes that shape electoral frameworks. Transparency in delimitation will:

• Build public trust;

• Ensure stakeholder and citizen buy-in;

• Reduce suspicions of gerrymandering; and

• Affirm that we are all equal partners in Zambia’s democratic project.

This call is not about political advantage. It is about safeguarding democratic integrity and strengthening the institutions we all rely upon, regardless of political affiliation. The Constitution must not be treated as a tool of convenience, but a covenant that binds us all to fairness, equity, and the rule of law.

I reiterate: The people of Zambia deserve access to the full Delimitation Report. We cannot claim to deepen our democracy while withholding the very information that shapes its foundation.

Country first. Always.

Hon. Sunday Chilufya Chanda, MP
Member of Parliament – Kanchibiya Constituency