Governance 360

29/09/2026

🏛️ GOVERNANCE 360 | QUESTION OF THE DAY
SEPARATION OF POWERS: HOW INDEPENDENT IS PARLIAMENT?
The principle of separation of powers is designed to prevent excessive concentration of power by distributing state authority among different institutions.
But here is the question for Zambia 🇿🇲:
Can Parliament effectively exercise oversight over the Executive when some Members of Parliament also serve as Ministers in the Executive?
Under Zambia’s constitutional system, the President appoints Members of Parliament as Ministers, while legislative authority is vested in Parliament.
🤔 So, does this arrangement strengthen cooperation between the Executive and Legislature — or does it create a potential conflict when Parliament is expected to scrutinise the same Executive in which some MPs serve?
👇 WHAT DO YOU THINK?
A. The arrangement is necessary for effective government.
B. It can weaken parliamentary oversight.
C. It does not necessarily weaken Parliament; MPs can still perform their constitutional duties.
D. Zambia should consider a stronger separation between the Executive and Legislature.
E. It depends on the strength of parliamentary institutions and individual MPs.
💬 Don't just choose A–E. Explain your reasoning.
Let's discuss constitutional design, accountability and checks and balances — not personalities or political parties.
GOVERNANCE 360 🌍
Understand. Question. Participate.

29/09/2026

🌍 GOVERNANCE 360 | UNDERSTANDING GOVERNANCE, ONE ISSUE AT A TIME

Governance is not only about elections and politicians.

It is about how decisions are made, how public resources are managed, how institutions function, and how citizens participate in shaping the society they live in.

At Governance 360, we will explore governance from every angle:

🏛️ Government & Parliament
⚖️ Constitution & Rule of Law
🗳️ Democracy & Elections
💰 Public Finance & Accountability
👥 Citizen Participation
🚰 Service Delivery
👩🏽‍🎓 Youth & Student Governance
🌱 Community Development
🤝 Leadership & Ethics**
📚 Civic & Governance Education

Our goal is simple:

To make governance understandable, practical and accessible to everyone.

We will ask the difficult questions, examine how institutions work, explain constitutional principles, and connect governance theory to the everyday experiences of ordinary citizens.

Because governance is not something that happens somewhere far away.

Governance affects the water we drink, the roads we use, the services we receive, the taxes we pay, the opportunities available to us, and the way our communities develop.

🔎 Governance 360 — Looking at governance from every angle.

Follow the page.
Read. Think. Question. Participate.

27/09/2026

🇿🇲 GOVERNANCE 360 | KNOW YOUR PARLIAMENT
🏛️ WHAT IS THE ROLE OF PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION MPs IN ZAMBIA?
Zambia has introduced a Mixed-Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) system for elections to the National Assembly.
Under the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 13 of 2025, the National Assembly includes:
🔹 226 constituency-based Members of Parliament
🔹 40 proportional-representation MPs, comprising:
• 20 women
• 15 youths
• 5 persons with disabilities
🔹 Not more than 11 nominated MPs
🔹 The Vice-President, Speaker, First Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker.
📌 SO, WHAT WILL PR MPs DO?
A proportional-representation MP is a Member of Parliament. Their parliamentary role includes participating in the work of the National Assembly.
They can participate in:
📜 LAW-MAKING
Debating and considering Bills that come before the National Assembly.
👁️ OVERSIGHT
Scrutinising the performance of the Executive and government institutions.
💰 PUBLIC FINANCE
Participating in Parliament's consideration and oversight of public expenditure and national resources.
🌍 NATIONAL REPRESENTATION
Bringing issues affecting citizens and their respective areas of representation into national debate.
🤝 COMMITTEE WORK
Participating in parliamentary committees that scrutinise government programmes, legislation, public administration and other matters referred to them.
🔎 WHAT MAKES PR MPs DIFFERENT?
The major difference is how they enter Parliament and the representational purpose of the seats.
A constituency MP is elected to represent a particular geographical constituency through the first-past-the-post system.
A PR MP enters the National Assembly through the proportional-representation system, with the 40 seats specifically reserved for women, youths and persons with disabilities. The seats are distributed among eligible political parties according to the prescribed legal formula.
Importantly, PR MPs are not simply observers or representatives without parliamentary responsibilities. They are Members of the National Assembly participating in the legislative and oversight work of Parliament.
💭 GOVERNANCE 360 QUESTION
If the purpose of proportional representation is to broaden participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities, how can PR MPs effectively connect the experiences of these groups to national legislation, policy and oversight?
Let's discuss. 👇🏾
🇿🇲 GOVERNANCE 360
Observe • Analyse • Improve
Better Governance. Stronger Communities. Stronger Scholarship.

27/09/2026

Available for consultations at a fee

09/09/2026