Zambia implements 90-day limit for parliamentary election petitions

Following Constitutional Amendment No. 13 of 2025, also known as Bill 7, all petitions challenging the election of a Member of Parliament in Zambia must now be heard and determined within 90 days of filing. This amendment to Article 73 of the Constitution aims to provide greater certainty to the electoral justice system by ensuring that disputes do not remain unresolved for extended periods.

Member of Parliament Imanga Wamunyima noted that the change addresses previous issues where election matters could be heard within prescribed periods but lack final judgment for years. He cited the 2021 Constitutional Court case of Bizwayo Newton Nkunika v. Lawrence Nyirenda and the Electoral Commission of Zambia as a primary example. In that instance, a challenge regarding academic qualifications from the 2016 General Election was not resolved until March 2021, nearly at the end of the five-year parliamentary term.

The new provision is expected to place significant demand on the courts as they work to provide closure to existing parliamentary petitions within the newly stipulated timeframe.