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The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to strictly follow the 2022 Delimitation Report, raising concerns over the government’s proposed 70 new constituencies.
In an interview with Zambia Monitor, DPP leader, Dr. Kafula Mubanga, stressed that deviating from the report would undermine the principle of “One Person, One Vote, One Value.”
The DPP leader demanded full transparency in the delimitation process, including open-book GIS mapping and clear explanations for the proposed constituencies.
Mubanga warned that any attempt to bypass the 2022 report would face strong resistance, urging the ECZ to prioritize transparency and fairness to ensure credible 2026 elections.
“Transparency is the only anesthetic that can make the political surgery of delimitation successful. Any attempt to bypass the 2022 report would be met with strong democratic resistance,” he said.
Mubanga expressed concern that while the government promoted a transparency agenda, stakeholder engagement appeared reactive, initiated only after the alleged 70 new constituencies figure was leaked or suggested—without prior inclusive consultation.
He urged the ECZ to fully implement the 2022 findings, ensuring that boundaries were drawn based on the 2022 census data of 19.6 million citizens, rather than administrative shortcuts.
“To achieve a manageable MP-to-citizen ratio of approximately 1:80,000, the DPP advocates for transparency. An increase to 235 seats has been proposed,” Mubanga emphasized.
He further demanded that stakeholders be given a veto on the proposed 70 constituencies, stating:
“The government must explain the mathematical basis for the 70-constituency figure. If it does not align with the 1:80,000 ratio or the 2022 report, it must be discarded in favor of public submission.”
Mubanga reiterated that transparency was the only “anesthetic” that can make the political “surgery” of delimitation successful:
“Any attempt by the ECZ to bypass the 2022 Delimitation Report will be met with the strongest possible democratic resistance. We expect the ECZ to act as an independent referee, not an extension of the executive’s agenda,” he said.
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