"Zambia’s Presidency Is Too Powerful, Powers Must Be Devolved"- Mushimba

Organized People’s Party (OPP) President Eng. Dr. Brian Mushimba has called for a devolution of presidential powers and greater independence for key public institutions, arguing that Zambia’s democratic system needs stronger checks and balances.

Dr. Mushimba said political parties should make laws based on the national interest rather than considering how legislation could benefit them when they are in government.

He recalled a conversation with Colonel Panji Kaunda before the 2011 general elections, saying Kaunda had advised that political parties should formulate laws as though they were in opposition, even when they were in power.

According to Mushimba, the lesson was that lawmakers could struggle to remain objective when they are designing rules that may later benefit them politically.

He said some countries had addressed this problem by delaying the implementation of certain benefits until lawmakers responsible for introducing them had left office.

Mushimba said Zambia could similarly consider mechanisms that reduce the influence of personal and political interests when major national laws are being formulated.

He also argued that the desire by political parties to retain power can lead to institutions and laws being structured in ways that increase political control.

The OPP leader said his party had therefore proposed separating certain constitutional offices and government functions from the presidency.

“We said that as long as we do not delink certain constitutional offices and functions of government, we will always come back to the same place,” he said.

Mushimba was particularly direct in his assessment of the presidency.

“The presidency in Zambia is too powerful,” he said.

He argued that key institutions should be strong enough to operate independently regardless of who occupies State House.

“Even if we were to put the wrong person in that office, the government, institutions and the people should not suffer because of it,” he said.

Mushimba questioned why institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission should operate under the presidency, arguing that funding and reporting arrangements could undermine their ability to independently investigate those in government.

“We cannot have an Anti-Corruption Commission that is unable to investigate the President or the Government because they are effectively its bosses,” he said.

He called for independent funding for constitutional offices and greater accountability to citizens.

“They should ultimately be answerable to the people,” he said.

Mushimba said Zambia needed to rethink the way its democratic institutions, political parties and government structures are organised if the country is to address weaknesses in its system.

His proposal puts the question of presidential power and institutional independence at the centre of the debate over how Zambia’s democracy should evolve.