Chiefs Oppose Expansion of Presidential Appointments in Parliament
Traditional leaders from Central Province have opposed proposals to raise the number of nominated members of Parliament, arguing that such a move would dilute democratic representation and increase government expenditure.
Delivering a consolidated submission before the Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendment in Kabwe, Chief Mailo of the Lala people of Serenje said the chiefs had agreed that the current five-percent ceiling should remain intact.
“When the number of constituencies increases through delimitation, nominated MPs will automatically rise. We therefore maintain that the limit must stay at five percent,” he said.
Chief Mailo’s presentation, supported by over a dozen other traditional leaders, also recommended that the Secretary to the Cabinet position continue to require at least ten years’ service as a permanent secretary to preserve professionalism in the civil service.
The leaders called for practical measures to promote women, youths, and persons with disabilities. “We must design empowerment mechanisms that allow marginalised groups to participate fully in the electoral process,” they said in their joint paper.
They further proposed cost-saving reforms for by-elections: seats should only be contested again in the event of death, while in cases of resignation, the runner-up from the previous election should assume office. “This will reduce unnecessary public spending,” Chief Mailo said.
On election petitions, the chiefs suggested strict deadlines — 14 working days for hearing and one week for appeal matters — to prevent drawn-out disputes.
Their submission also sought to align the legal definition of a child with international standards by setting the age limit at 17, while defining youth as 18 to 35.
On local government, the chiefs recommended that mayors and council chairpersons serve two-and-a-half-year terms and be elected by councillors rather than through direct public vote, which they said would reduce political tension at local level.
The meeting, chaired by Justice Christopher Mushabati, drew participation from Chiefs Mulendema, Kabamba, Mukubwe, Mboshya, Chisomo, Senior Chief Mboroma, and others. Justice Mushabati acknowledged receiving the submissions and assured the delegates that all views would be captured faithfully in the committee’s report.
The traditional leaders also urged government to retain continuity in key legal offices. “The Attorney General and Solicitor General should continue serving until a new President-elect is sworn in to ensure stability,” their document read.
Chief Mailo concluded that the submissions were rooted in the desire to safeguard democracy and tradition. “We are not opposing change for the sake of it. We are protecting the balance between authority and accountability,” he said.
