REFERRAL OF  SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA TO INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY BODIES OVER CONSTITUTIONAL MISCONDUCT

REFERRAL OF  SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ZAMBIA TO INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY BODIES OVER CONSTITUTIONAL MISCONDUCT

Lusaka, Zambia.  30th December 2025

I wish to formally inform the Zambian public that I have today submitted letters of complaint to three international parliamentary institutions, namely the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), concerning the conduct of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, MP.

The nation will recall that I wrote a formal  request on  17 December 2025 to the Speaker to resign after her handling of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025, a Bill that had been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court but was nonetheless re-admitted to Parliament by herself, passed by Parliament, and subsequently assented to by the President.

To date, the Speaker has not responded to that correspondence.

WHY THIS ACTION WAS NECESSARY

The Speaker occupies a position that demands absolute neutrality, restraint, and fidelity to the Constitution. Her actions, including presiding over the passage of a Bill already judicially impugned and engaging in conduct that undermined the dignity of Parliament, raised serious concerns regarding:
• Respect for constitutional supremacy
• Compliance with binding judicial decisions
• Separation of powers
• Parliamentary ethics and impartiality

Having exhausted reasonable domestic engagement, I considered it both necessary and responsible to refer the matter to institutions to which Zambia belongs voluntarily and whose mandates exist to safeguard democratic norms and parliamentary integrity.

WHAT THESE INSTITUTIONS CAN AND CANNOT DO

It is important to be clear with the Zambian people:
The CPA, IPU, and SADC-PF cannot remove the Speaker from office. That authority lies solely within Zambia’s constitutional framework.
However, within their mandates, these institutions may:

• Examine and make formal findings on whether parliamentary standards were breached
• Issue censure or reprimands to the Speaker
• Suspend or restrict participation in international parliamentary activities
• Expel or exclude individuals from their membership where conduct brings the institution into disrepute
• Place the matter on the international democratic record, thereby increasing institutional and reputational accountability

Such actions carry serious consequences for parliamentary credibility, international standing, and public trust.

EXPECTED IMPACT OF THIS REFERRAL

Should these institutions act within their mandates, the expected impact includes:
1. International validation of constitutional concerns raised domestically
2. Strengthened pressure for accountability within Zambia’s governance system
3. Reinforcement of the principle that no office holder is above the Constitution
4. Protection of Parliament as an institution, beyond individual or party interests

This action on my part is not about personal confrontation or political advantage; it is about defending constitutional democracy and the integrity of public institutions, above all, the Judiciary and the Legislature.

MY MESSAGE TO THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE
Zambia’s democracy has been built over decades through sacrifice and restraint. It cannot be sustained if court decisions are ignored, or if presiding officers abandon neutrality to which they are sworn, simply for political expediency.

I remain committed to pursuing this matter peacefully, lawfully, and transparently, and I will keep the public informed of any responses received from the CPA, IPU, or SADC-PF.

CONCLUSION

Democracy is not protected by silence. It is protected when citizens and leaders alike insist on accountability, standards, and respect for the Constitution.
I have acted in that spirit.
God bless you, and God bless the Republic of Zambia.

Signed:
Dr. Sebastian C. Kopulande
Former Member of Parliament, Chembe Constituency, 2016-2021
Aspiring Presidential Candidate – People’s Party
Lusaka, Zambia