Civil society organisations have unveiled a proposed provincial distribution for the 70 new National Assembly seats.
The Consortium of Civil Society Organisations on Governance and Constitutionalism announced this on Sunday in Lusaka.
The consortium stated that it has completed a detailed scientific analysis ahead of the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s provincial meetings starting in Choma.
It noted that the interim proposal aims to contribute transparently to the delimitation process using data from the 2022 Census and 2021 voter register.
The group emphasised that constituencies serve primarily for electoral representation under Article 59 of the Constitution.
It declared that any seat allocation must prioritise constitutional fairness that takes into account surface area for each province, population density, population of voters and geographical features.
The alliance suggested Central Province receives 8 seats, Copperbelt 9, Eastern 8, Luapula 6, Lusaka 8, Muchinga 5, Northern 6, North-Western 7, Southern 8, and Western 5.
It explained the model balances population density, voter numbers, urban-rural needs, and provincial geography.
The coalition highlighted avoidance of extreme population-based skews or equal distribution to uphold voter equality.
It affirmed that the approach stays within global voter deviation standards for equitable representation.
The body urged stakeholders, including traditional leaders, to scrutinise the data during consultations.
It clarified that delimitation sets electoral boundaries without affecting chiefdoms or traditional structures.
The partnership called on politicians to view constitutional processes and customary authority as complementary.
CSOs forming the consortium include the Southern Africa Centre for the Collaborative Resolution of Conflicts (SACCORD), hosted at its secretariat.
This is contained in a statement issued by Isaac Mwanza, Consortium Chairperson
