The 226-Seat Gamble: Is More Really Merrier for Zambian Democracy?

**LUSAKA** – In a move that stretches the National Assembly’s seating chart to its literal limits, the **Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)** has formalised the creation of **70 new constituencies**. This "Sophisticated Watchdog" notes that while the ECZ frames this as a win for representation, the sheer scale of the expansion—from 156 to **226 seats**—raises critical questions about the cost of our democracy. The delimitation exercise, anchored by the **Constitution (Amendment) Act No. 13 of 2025**, marks the largest legislative growth spurt since 1968. --- ### The Provincial Breakdown: Mapping the New Territory ECZ Chairperson **Mrs Mwangala Zaloumis SC** unveiled the distribution at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, highlighting that the "yard" is indeed being cleaned to account for massive population shifts. **Eastern** and **Southern Provinces** emerge as the biggest winners in this redistribution, each gaining 9 new seats. | Province | Current Seats | New Seats | Total Seats | | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | | **Eastern** | 20 | 9 | 29 | | **Southern** | 20 | 9 | 29 | | **Central** | 15 | 8 | 23 | | **Copperbelt** | 22 | 7 | 29 | | **North Western** | 12 | 7 | 19 | | **Western** | 19 | 7 | 26 | | **Lusaka** | 12 | 6 | 18 | | **Muchinga** | 8 | 6 | 14 | | **Northern** | 13 | 6 | 19 | | **Luapula** | 15 | 5 | 20 | | **TOTAL** | **156** | **70** | **226** | --- ### Analysis: Beyond the "Village Square" While the Commission insists the process was free from *imingalato* (underhand tactics), the "Pulse" remains critical but fair. * **The Transparency Metric:** Mrs Zaloumis categorically denied that seats were pre-allocated to political strongholds, stating the list followed sittings in all **116 districts**. * **Institutional DNA:** The goal was to balance "legitimate expectations" against accessibility. However, observers have previously noted that such rapid expansion often prioritises political visibility over actual **customer service deli