By Given Mutinta
PROJECTED PARLIAMENTARY SEATS DISTRIBUTION
Recent intelligence reports have unveiled a projected distribution of parliamentary seats between the two dominant political forces in a 226-seat assembly: the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP)/Resolute Party and the United Party for National Development (UPND).
The assembly consists of 226 directly elected seats. According to the latest data:
NRPUP/RP is expected to secure a total of 129 seats from six provinces, distributed as follows: Northern (19), Luapula (20), Eastern (29), Muchinga (29), Lusaka (18), and Copperbelt (14).
UPND will likely dominate in Southern, Western, North Western, and Central provinces, collectively representing 60 seats.
The remaining seats in the latter four provinces will be for NRPUP/RP/Independents.
From this, we can first calculate the seats directly assigned:
*NRPUP/RP to be confirmed: 129 seats.
*UPND to be confirmed: 60 seats.
Since the total is 226 seats, subtracting to be confirmed allocations (129 + 60 = 189) leaves 37 seats unaccounted for, that will go to NRPUP/RP/Independents mainly in the four provinces where UPND holds the majority giving NRPUP/RP/Independents 129 + 37 = 166 seats.
Thus, NRPUP/RP/Independents 166 seats and UPND 60 seats.