STATEMENT BY OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV) ON THE GOVERNMENT’S
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSALS

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)
Plot No. 742 Lilanda Estate – Matero Constituency LUSAKA
Phone: 0760707858, 0955-769688:– Baobab RD
Down Kawama area P.O. Box 30153
Blog: oyvzambia.blogspot.com Email:oyvleader2000@gmail.comFB:Operation Young Vote
All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Director

STATEMENT BY OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV) ON THE GOVERNMENT’S
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSALS
27TH MAY, 2025:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Operation Young Vote would like to out-rightly reject the Government proposed constitutional amendments as they lack legitimacy in that no broad consultations with the Zambian citizens (who are Rights Holders) were conducted to build consensus.

It is very concerning that the substance in the proposed constitutional amendments don’t
only lack legitimacy but are also limited and myopic especially that they only speak to matters regarding politics and elections.

It is quite perturbing and appalling that politicians think that they are the most important of all the citizens. They want to take everyone for a ride and into believing that safety and wellness for them is equal for every citizen.

This is NOT true. Whereas politics are
important for leadership and policy development, we would cheapen ourselves as Zambians to accept this limited proposed constitutional amendment which is not only
meant to favour politicians and their interests.

It is crystal clear that the general citizenry will NOT benefit anything from the proposed constitutional amendments.

In any case the citizens will be the ones to continue in their suffering to pay through taxes as tax payer to fend for the infrastructure (expansion of parliament) and salaries and
allowances of the increased number of politicians in parliament.

As OYV we note that the proposed constitutional amendments by Government are not only extremely myopic but also deeply scarily.

This is deeply scarily as only the elite will benefit from it while the cadres and the rest of the citizens and society will languish and regret.

We note with grave concern that of the matters contained in the objects of the
Memorandum – the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2025, about 92.5% of the issues are about elections and politicians while the merger 7.5% is the definition of the
child and youth.

In our analysis we have decided to group the amendment regarding the
Secretary to Cabinet (which also accounts for 7.5%) with electoral issues and politicians as politicians would directly or otherwise be the beneficiaries more than any other
stakeholder especially that those in government who think that the Secretary to the Cabinet (the chief Civil Servant) should reduced number of years from the current
requirement of 10 years to 5 years.

The simple question is: Is Zambia under a crisis to Operation Young Vote (OYV) – For Good Leadership, Governance and Sustainable Development urgently solve the Elections, political or politicians’ matters at the expense of the cost of
living and other human fundamentals such as the economic governance and
management, corporate governance and socio-economic development among many?

Further, we note that the proposal is suggesting increasing the number of MPs by over a 100 MP. This beats ones mind and logic especially that as a country we have NOT yet fully attained the debt restructuring.

In relation to this, here are some simple and basic questions that deserve serious answers: a). What is the cost of expanding the National Assembly/Parliament Building in order to accommodate the 156 already existing MPs (elected through FPTP) plus the more that 100 MPs (55 FPTP + 45 PR) – Where are the finances coming from?

How much would this money do to resolve the loadshading challenge? How far can this money go to pay for the bursaries students of the higher
institutions not on the scheme currently? How far would this money go to alleviate the sufferings of the many women, youth and persons with disabilities (PwDs) by giving
them sustainable income for businesses as SMEs as opposed to the current unsustainable handouts of Cash for Work?

Furthermore, what is the cost of enumerating the more than 100 additional MPs (Salaries, allowances and other benefits such gratuity). What would the National Wage
Bill look like? Are we going enter into further/more borrowing just to sustain our parliament?

If really we have this money as a country or indeed if we are going to
borrow – it means that as a country we will be wasteful and NOT prudent in our spending as we will be spending on consumption and NOT productivity. Why not give this money to businesses who will plough it back in the economic and also employ others citizens (women, youth and PwDs). Remember that the USA has indicated that
they will no long provide medicines and other medical related stuff and resources to the tune of 50 million US Dollars.

Further, has our treasury capacity enough to this Wage-
Bill when the economy is purely dependant on the IMF? What about institutions who allege to be owed such as UNZA among others? What about retirees that have gone
unpaid for ages. Why should politicians think that they are the most important
individuals in our midst in the country – Zambia?
Looking at the issue of Article 52(6) the Amendment of this Article falls short.

Given Zambia’s electoral context where candidates can be forced to or bought off to resign, the amendment fails to provide a solution. As opposed to preventing disruption, it allows
candidates to resign, leaving the affected/victim political party without a candidate in an election that is said should continue as planned.

A more effective approach would be to
enable the party to replace the resigning candidate rather than disadvantage them not to participate in the election.

This is anarchic at its best. As it stands, the amendment may inadvertently favour the ruling party and/or those with resources to buy out/off candidates, undermining the party’s ability to compete and in essence killing democracy.

Critical application and analysis review that the proposal omits what would happen in the event the Concourt takes a position to disagree with the President on dissolving Parliament, on this question.

Amending Article 81 in the manner proposed is dangerous. The matter to allow MPs and Ministers be in office for three (3) months without sitting in parliament until the day just before the election date is quite hilarious as there is nothing it is curing, except
bringing more serious problems regarding campaign period – Why should they continue
in office if NOT to disadvantage other aspiring candidate (new would be MPs and Operation Young Vote (OYV) – For Good Leadership, Governance and Sustainable Development
Ministers) – Why should any team/crop of politicians think that they are indispensable. If anything, the amendment should replace the five (5) year period with 4 years and 9
months.

The proposed replacement of Article 72 (2)(h) is ambiguous.

Propose Amendment Article 72 (11), goes against the principle of fair play and equal representation for constituents affected.

In Article 154 nothing has changed save for introducing the Qualifications and disqualifications of Mayors and Council Chairpersons as the rest has been reproduced

Conclusion:

As OYV, we are of the conviction that the Proposed Constitutional Amendments as contained in Bill 7 are NOT myopic and inadequate regarding key fundamental issues/topics for what would be termed efficacy and comprehensive reforms but is also
highly toxic (as it suggests that only the powerful and those with financial muscle will call the shoots in elections and politics) and therefore hesitates not to call upon all
stakeholders – in citizens, CSOs, the Church, Traditional Leadership, development partners, political parties and Alliances (including the ruling UPND), MPs to REJECT the Proposed Constitutional Amendments.

Issued by:
For and on behalf of:
Operation Young Vote (OYV)
Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)
Executive Director
Operation Young Vote (OYV) – For Good Leadership, Governance and Sustainable Development