MARY LEMBA
Kasama
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) media director Mark Simuuwe says the enactment of Act No. 13 of 2025, formerly Bill 7, demonstrates the New Dawn administration’s commitment to strengthening Zambia’s democracy, good governance and inclusive development.
Mr Simuuwe said the law corrected constitutional gaps that previously restricted timelines for presidential petitions, noting that the new provision requires petitions to be heard and determined within the enshrined laws.
Speaking on Radio Mano in Kasama on Tuesday, Mr Simuuwe said the new legislation also introduced proportional representation to enhance participation of women, youths and persons living with disabilities in Parliament, aligning with Zambia’s democratic practices in countries such as Egypt.
“The amendment has removed a dangerous clause that required fresh nominations in the event of resignation, withdrawal or death of a candidate, but under the new law, elections will now proceed without disruption,” he said.
Mr Simuuwe said Government has increased the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to accelerate grassroots development, revealing that K17.8 million has been disbursed in grants in Kasama since 2022, benefiting 467 people.
He said 3,113 young people have been trained in Kasama under CDF programmes during the same period.
Mr Simuuwe observed that although residents voted for Patriotic Front (PF) councillors, they have not adequately communicated CDF achievements to the public, leading to misconceptions that UPND has not delivered development.
He said Northern Province is recording strong performance in agriculture, with over one million small-scale farmers now covered under insurance schemes.
Mr Simuuwe added that Government is constructing more airports to promote economic growth, and the New Dawn administration has facilitated the establishment of various factories in sectors such as fertiliser production and battery manufacturing, among others.
He said since UPND formed Government, no radio or television station has been closed, a reflection of the party’s respect for freedom of expression…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
