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The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has proposed that basic legal education should be mandatory for the incumbent President and Members of Parliament to enhance the quality of legislation in Zambia.
FDD Spokesperson, Anthony Chibuye, expressed concern that Zambia continued to suffer from “copy and paste” legislation, which he said reflects a lack of legal understanding among both the Head of State and lawmakers.
Chibuye accused President Hakainde Hichilema and some MPs from both the ruling UPND and the opposition of enacting and debating laws without fully understanding their implications.
“The fact that we have a President and MPs who lack an understanding of the law and its characteristics has spelled disaster for Zambia,” Chibuye said in a statement on Friday.
He cited the recently enacted Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act as an example of legislation that lacks clarity, flexibility, and responsiveness to local needs.
Chibuye proposed that the President and MPs undergo short courses in legal fundamentals, including criminal and procedural law, to improve the quality of debate and lawmaking.
He also called on the Attorney General’s office, under which the legal drafting department falls, to ensure that competent and seasoned drafters were well nurtured to produce sound legislation.
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“The law must be easy to understand, flexible, and responsive to the country’s current needs,” Chibuye said. “The Cyber Security Act, for instance, is vague and draconian, and does not reflect the realities of the Zambian people.”
He added that enacting such laws only serves to censor citizens and interfere with their enjoyment of fundamental rights.
“Our democracy should not be about copy-and-paste laws. It should not be modeled after America or any other foreign country,” Chibuye stated.
“It is unfortunate that some ministers—and even President Hichilema—wish to subject Zambians to European or American standards.”
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