Musokotwane Calls for Urgent Constituency Reform to Unlock Fair Development
Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, has called on Zambians, especially young people, to support the ongoing national discussion on constituency delimitation. He stated that the reform is essential for improving service delivery, fairness and long-term development.
In a detailed public message, Dr Musokotwane explained that Zambia’s population has grown to more than 20 million people while the country still operates with the same 156 constituencies that were created when the population was much smaller.
He noted that this imbalance has created a form of silent inequality in communities where a single Member of Parliament is responsible for very large populations.
According to the Minister, this mismatch affects access to services such as youth bursaries, empowerment grants and community development projects funded through the Constituency Development Fund. He said large constituencies make it difficult for leaders to reach every community and ensure effective monitoring of projects.
Dr Musokotwane highlighted global evidence from Africa, Asia and major development institutions including the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.
He said experience shows that outdated administrative boundaries slow economic growth and weaken accountability. Zambia, he added, faces similar challenges when boundaries do not reflect the actual distribution of the population.
He stated that delimitation is not a political move but a constitutional requirement intended to promote equity, transparency and fair representation. He noted that the Electoral Commission of Zambia will lead the technical process guided by constitutional criteria such as population size, geography and communication networks.
The Minister stressed that young people will benefit the most from modernised constituency boundaries because opportunities such as bursaries, skills programmes and community projects will become more accessible.
He added that smaller and well-aligned constituencies will strengthen decentralisation, improve oversight and make the Constituency Development Fund more responsive to community needs.
Dr Musokotwane urged citizens not to fear the process. He stated that constituency reviews are a normal governance practice worldwide and are necessary for Zambia’s progress. He emphasised that the country should not allow boundaries drawn in the past to limit development today.
He concluded that the reform will not weaken Zambia’s democracy but will strengthen it.
Note: The Minister clarified that the views expressed are his personal perspectives, supported by expert sources to enrich the national debate.
