PARLIAMENT IS A RUBBER STAMP
… Linda Kasonde questions legislative oversight as Sichilima warns of a weak opposition
By Thandizo Banda
LAWYER and civil rights activist Linda Kasonde says Zambia has been left without an effective opposition in Parliament following the August 13 general election.
Kasonde, who is also LCK Freedom Foundation executive director, however said all was not lost, as the Constitution still gives citizens a window to challenge Parliament’s decisions.
In an interview with The Mast, Kasonde said the ruling UPND holds between 171 and 179 of the 280 seats in the National Assembly, while the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) holds 67.
Kasonde, a former Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president, said the National Assembly comprises 226 directly elected constituency members, 40 members elected through proportional representation for women, youth and persons with disabilities, 11 nominated members and three ex-officio members including the Vice-President, Speaker and Deputy Speakers.
” Two months ago, when conceding defeat after the August polls, the president and secretary-general of the NRPUP announced they would be supporting the UPND agenda,” Kasonde said.
She said for the UPND to pass any legislation, a simple majority or 50 per cent of MPs was required, while to amend the Constitution, except for Part III which requires a referendum, two-thirds was needed.
“So, the real question is, is there any effective opposition to speak of? There are no effective means of stopping any political party with the requisite number of votes from passing any piece of legislation in the National Assembly,” Kasonde said.
She cited the passing of Constitution Amendment Act No. 13 of 2025 and the passing of 77 Bills in nine days ahead of the May 15, 2026 dissolution of Parliament as examples.
“Parliament has for all intents and purposes become a rubber stamp. This does not absolve citizens from their duty to hold power to account and they must be vigilant. This does not absolve Zambian citizens from challenging the illegal or unconstitutional passage of any piece of legislation. Citizens need to be vigilant where such illegality occurs,” Kasonde said.
Meanwhile, Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) interim president Gaston Sichilima says the opposition in parliament is sleeping and now giving the ruling UPND an open cheque to make changes to the Constitution.
In a separate interview with The Mast, Sichilima said Tuesday’s approval of the ministerial realignment had exposed a weak opposition and set a dangerous precedent that would allow the UPND to push through everything, including removal of presidential term limits.
He warned that if opposition MPs continued sleeping in parliament, the ruling party would find its way easy and introduce inimical bills and score at will like a team playing against a goal without a goalkeeper.
“What happened on Tuesday is just a taste. Today it is ministries, tomorrow it is term limits, next it is the Constitution itself. If you sleep, they will pass everything,” Sichilima warned.
He said UPND had realised that the opposition was divided, compromised and docile and would use Parliament as a rubber stamp to entrench itself and mutilate democracy.
Sichilima said that MMD removed the one-party state to restore multiparty democracy, provided checks and balances and alternative leadership.
He said it was sad that opposition MPs had betrayed the legacy by sleeping through critical votes.
“We did not remove one-party dictatorship to create another one through the back door. We removed it to give Zambians freedom, choice and power to change government. But that freedom is being auctioned by the current crop of sleeping MPs,” he said.
Sichilima warned youths being paid to champion removal of term limits that they were being used to destroy their own future and invite a return to one-party rule.
“Removing term limits means bringing back a one-party state. And in a one-party state there is no future for the youth. You are killing your own tomorrow for a K500 and a t-shirt,” he said.
Sichilima accused some UPND surrogates of hiding behind hungry youths, giving them handouts to call for a no-term-limit agenda.
“They give you K500 to shout today, tomorrow they will use the same unlimited power to crush you when you demand jobs and business capital,” Sichilima said.
Sichilima challenged President Hakainde Hichilema to stop the third-term debate if he does not entertain it.
“If the President does not want a third term, let him stop those using his name. He must tell the nation clearly that he does not support the removal of the term limits,” he said.
Sichilima called on the church, civil society, the opposition and all Zambians to defend the Constitution, warning that term limits remain the only shield against life presidency.
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