By Gibson Zulu
Political and international relations specialist Mumbi Namwawa has warned that the United Party for National Development’s (UPND) commanding majority in Zambia’s national ssembly could weaken parliamentary oversight if MPs place party loyalty above their responsibility to hold the Executive accountable.
Speaking to MakanDay in a telephone interview from Sweden, where she is studying, Namwawa said effective parliamentary scrutiny depends not only on constitutional safeguards but also on MPs’ willingness to question government decisions, including those made by their own party.
Her warning follows Zambia’s August 2026 general election, in which the United Party for National Development (UPND) reportedly secured 137 of the 226 constituency-based seats and 32 of the 40 proportional representation seats reserved for women, youths and persons with disabilities.
The remaining eight proportional representation seats went to NRPUP.
UPND’s combined 169 elected seats represent approximately 63.5% of the 266 constituency-based and proportional representation seats established under the 2025 constitutional amendments.
The amendments expanded the number of elected parliamentary seats from 156 to 266, an increase of approximately 70.5%. The Constitution also provides for up to 11 presidentially nominated MPs, who would increase the ruling party’s representation if appointed from its ranks.
Ms Namwawa said the ruling party’s numerical advantage could make it easier for the Executive to advance legislation while reducing opposition MPs’ influence over parliamentary decisions.
However, she acknowledged that a parliamentary majority did not automatically prevent effective oversight, stressing that Parliament’s responsibilities extended beyond lawmaking to representing citizens’ interests and holding the government accountable.
She cited the passage of the Cyber Security Bill in March 2025 as an example of the limitations of parliamentary scrutiny. A parliamentary committee had earlier recommended deferring the Bill for further consultations and scrutiny, arguing that it did not meet the required threshold for enactment.
Although the government subsequently reported holding additional consultations, Parliament passed the legislation on 28 March 2025.
Ms Namwawa also questioned Parliament’s decision to retain MPs in local councils during the constitutional reform process, despite stakeholder concerns about potential conflicts between their legislative and council oversight responsibilities.
She argued that such decisions highlighted the limitations of parliamentary committee recommendations, which are not binding on the National Assembly, and raised questions about how effectively stakeholder concerns influenced final legislation.
Party loyalty versus accountability
Ms Namwawa warned that ruling-party MPs could hesitate to scrutinise government decisions if doing so was perceived as disloyalty to their party.
However, she acknowledged that parliamentary committees, including the Public Accounts Committee, had demonstrated professionalism in examining government expenditure.
She argued that effective oversight depended on safeguards that enabled MPs to exercise independent judgment and ensured meaningful consideration of stakeholder concerns.
Warning signs to watch
Ms Namwawa urged citizens, civil society organisations and the media to monitor parliamentary proceedings for signs of weakening oversight.
She identified the swift endorsement of controversial proposals, declining public engagement and increasing reliance on voting numbers rather than substantive debate as potential warning signs.
She cautioned that limited opposition influence could allow government proposals to dominate parliamentary proceedings without sufficient consideration of alternative views.
Although parliamentary committees provide opportunities for MPs from different parties to scrutinise government policies and hear stakeholder submissions, Ms Namwawa stressed that their effectiveness ultimately depended on political will and institutional independence.
“We have to see a lot of political will. We have to see a lot of independence of Parliament from the Executive,” she said.
She urged MPs to prioritise their constituents’ interests, even when these conflicted with party positions, and called on political parties to develop policies reflecting citizens’ needs.
Ms Namwawa has previously worked with ActionAid Zambia, the Governance Action Hub, People’s Action for Accountable and Good Governance (PAAGZ), and the Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD). She has also served as a political and human rights resource person for the Youth 4 Parliament and Girls Gone Political movements.
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