The Speaker’s Dance: A Funeral Dirge for Parliamentary Democracy- Sensio Banda

By Sensio Banda

The Speaker’s Dance: A Funeral Dirge for Parliamentary Democracy

The passing of Constitutional Bill No. 7 marks a dark chapter in Zambia’s democratic journey, but the conduct that followed, specifically the televised celebration and dancing by the Speaker of the National Assembly, casts an even longer, more ominous shadow.

The Speaker’s role, by convention and the National Assembly’s Standing Orders, is to be the impartial guardian of the House, the arbiter of debate, and the symbol of legislative decorum. Her primary duty is to ensure the dignity of the House is upheld and that all members, regardless of their political affiliation, are treated fairly. In short, the Speaker must be above the political fray.

When a constitutional bill of such significant and contentious nature is passed, one that critics argue fundamentally restructures governance and centralises power, the atmosphere in the Chamber should reflect the gravity of the decision. Instead, the sight of the Presiding Officer engaging in celebratory dancing on the floor of the House immediately after the vote was counted was profoundly disturbing.

This act, whether intended or not, signals a clear and unacceptable political bias. It strips the office of the Speaker of its vital perceived neutrality and suggests complicity in what many view as an act of constitutional expediency.

Breach of Trust: It violates the implicit trust placed in the Speaker to protect the process, not the outcome of the ruling party.

Contempt for Dissent: It appears to dismiss, with triumphant glee, the genuine concerns and opposition raised by a significant portion of the House and the public.

Undermining Standing Orders: While the Standing Orders govern procedure, the spirit of these rules demands the Speaker maintain dignity and impartiality. The dancing was a breach of this essential spirit, politicising an office that must be purely procedural.

The Speaker’s actions serve as a stark metaphor for the state of parliamentary democracy in Zambia. When the person meant to represent the collective conscience of the legislature celebrates a win for the majority, the concept of a multi-party system and robust oversight is severely weakened. For many, this moment was the final, celebratory nail in the coffin of meaningful parliamentary debate. The House, for all intents and purposes, behaved less like a legislative body and more like a rubber-stamp convention of the ruling party.

The victory belongs to the governing UPND MPs and, regrettably, to those former Patriotic Front (PF) and independent Members of Parliament who threw their support behind the bill. For the latter, the history of Zambian democracy will record their names not as custodians of the people’s will, but as betrayers, individuals who prioritised short-term gains and self-interest (“lived for the bellies”) over the long-term democratic aspirations of their constituents. Today, the parliamentary vote has granted them a hollow victory.

While the battle for parliamentary integrity may seem lost, and the voices of dissent drowned out by a celebratory dance, the ultimate power still rests outside the legislative walls.
The UPND and their allied MPs may have won the vote in Parliament, but their victory is temporary. The final and true verdict remains with the Zambian people in the next general election. The year 2026 stands as the last and most critical opportunity for citizens to reclaim their sovereignty and redeem the democratic promise betrayed on the floor of the House.

The time for passive observation is over. Zambians must internalise the image of the Speaker’s celebratory dance, a potent symbol of unchecked power and indifference to public concern and transform that outrage into resolute political action.

The parliamentary vote has given them a moment of glory, but the Zambian vote in 2026 shall deliver the ultimate, decisive, and enduring victory for democracy.