National Assembly of Zambia

The National Assembly is Zambia's unicameral legislative body. Between 1972 and 1990, Zambia was a one-party state with the United National Independence Party (UNIP) as the sole legal party.[1]

National Assembly of Zambia
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti
since 3 September 2021
Structure
Seats156 (+ Vice President and 10 appointees)
Political groups
Government (82)
  •   UPND (82)

Opposition (61)

Others (24)

Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
12 August 2021
Meeting place
Lusaka
Website
National Assembly of Zambia

The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 11 August 2016, has a total of 166 members. 156 members are directly elected in single-member constituencies using the simple plurality (or first-past-the-post) system. Eight additional seats are filled through presidential appointment. The Speaker, first deputy speaker and the Vice President are also granted a seat in the assembly.

Electoral system

Of the 167 members of the National Assembly, 156 are elected by the first-past-the-post system in single-member constituencies, with a further eight appointed by the President and three others being ex-officio members: the Vice President, the Speaker and one deputy speakers (one elected from outside the National Assembly, while another is chosen among the elected members of the house).[2] The minimum voting age is 18, whilst National Assembly candidates must be at least 21.[3]

Location

At the time of Zambia's independence in 1964, the National Assembly was housed in inadequate and unsuitable premises behind the Government's Central Offices in Lusaka, commonly known as the "Secretariat Area". It was, therefore, apparent at the time of independence that a more fitting building should be constructed to meet future expansion and also to provide adequate members’ sitting and office accommodations.[4]

A site was chosen on the crown of a low hill in Lusaka, which dominated the surrounding landscape of the city. The site was also, at one time, the site of the dwelling place of the village headman, Lusaka, after whom the city is now named.[5]

The new National Assembly building was planned so that its external appearance expressed the dignity and power of the Government, while internally, it is planned to function as a centre of administration. The focal point of the building is the Chamber, which is rich in decoration and colour, in contrast to the rest of the building.[6]

2021 election results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
United Party for National Development2,230,32446.2282+24
Patriotic Front1,722,71835.7060–20
Socialist Party61,3251.270New
Democratic Party50,8861.0500
People's Alliance for Change20,2270.4200
Party of National Unity and Progress13,1780.271+1
United National Independence Party12,7420.2600
Forum for Democracy and Development4,0060.080–1
National Democratic Congress3,8070.080New
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy3,6650.080–3
Leadership Movement3,5850.070New
Christian Democratic Party3,4710.070New
New Heritage Party1,7620.0400
Golden Party Zambia8580.020New
National Restoration Party6640.0100
Zambians United for Sustainable Development5540.010New
Green Party of Zambia4990.0100
United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia3090.010New
Movement for Democratic Change3060.010New
Patriots for Economic Progress2320.000New
Economic Freedom Fighters1040.0000
Independents690,41814.3113–1
Appointed and ex-officio11
Total4,825,640100.001670
Valid votes4,825,64097.74
Invalid/blank votes111,7262.26
Total votes4,937,366100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,023,49970.30
Source: ECZ, ECZ, ECZ (Kaumbwe const.)

    Previous National Assembly election results

    Political Party Election Year
    1964 1968 1973 1978 1983 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021
    United National Independence Party (UNIP) 55 81 125 125 125 25 - 13 -* - - -
    Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) - - - - - 125 131 69 74 55 3 -
    Patriotic Front (PF) - - - - - - - 1 44 60 80 59
    United Party for National Development (UPND) - - - - - - - 49 -* 28 58 82
    Alliance for Democracy and Development - - - - - - - - - 1 - -
    Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) - - - - - - - 12 -* 1 1 -
    United Liberal Party (ULP) - - - - - - - - 2 - - -
    New Heritage Party (NHP) - - - - - - - 4 - - - -
    Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
    National Party (NP) - - - - - - 5 - - - - -
    Zambia Democratic Congress (ZDC) - - - - - - 2 - - - - -
    Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP) - - - - - - - - - - - 1
    United Democratic Alliance (UDA) - - - - - - - - 27* - - -
    National Democratic Focus (NDF) - - - - - - - - 1 - - -
    Zambian African National Congress (ZANC) 10 23 - - - - - - - - - -
    National Progressive Party (NPP) 10 - - - - - - - - - - -
    Agenda for Zambia (AZ) - - - - - - 2 - - - - -
    Independents - - - - - - 10 1 2 3 14 13
    Others - 1 11 11 11 - - - - 11 - -
    Total 75 105 136 136 136 150 150 150 150 159 156 167
    *UPND, FDD, and UNIP contested the 2006 election under the UDA alliance[7]
    Italics denote defunct parties and alliances

    See also

    References

    1. Mushingeh, Chiponde (1994). "Unrepresentative 'democracy': One-Party Rule in Zambia, 1973-1990". Transafrican Journal of History. 23: 117–141. ISSN 0251-0391. JSTOR 24520273.
    2. "Elections: Zambia President 2015". IFES Election Guide. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
    3. "ZAMBIA (National Assembly), Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
    4. "National Assembly". National Assembly. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
    5. "National Assembly". National Assembly. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
    6. "National Assembly of Zambia". National Assembly of Zambia. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
    7. "Inter-Parliamentary Union". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
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