The National Assembly has 159 members, 150 members elected for a five year term in single seat-constituencies, 8 appointed members and the Speaker who is elected by general consensus of members. Website: http://www.parliament.gov.zm
The Zambian Parliament
The first meeting of the Northern Rhodesia Parliament took place on 23rd May 1924 in Livingstone, the first capital of Northern Rhodesia. The Parliament elected in December 2001 was the twentieth Parliament to have been elected since parliamentary government began in Zambia. This makes the Zambian Parliament one of the oldest continuously functioning legislatures in the Southern African Sub-region.
According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Zambia, “Parliament” is a composite body consisting of the President and the National Assembly. The Republican President, through the powers conferred by the Constitution, calls Parliament to meet, orders elections to take place and gives final approval to laws (the Presidential Assent) but does not otherwise play an active role in parliamentary work. It is the National Assembly, which consists of elected and nominated Members of Parliament that carries out a wide range of important public responsibilities.
These responsibilities include making laws (Acts of Parliament), approving proposals for taxation and public expenditure, and keeping the work of the Government under scrutiny and review.
Members of Parliament are elected for a five (5) year term on the basis of elections at which every adult person aged eighteen (18) years of age and above and permanently resident in Zambia is entitled to vote.
There are one hundred and fifty parliamentary constituencies where those aspiring to be Members of Parliament stand for elections every five years. The Republican President nominates eight Members. The total number of Members of Parliament is, therefore, one hundred and fifty-eight (158). But since the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Republican President are also Members of Parliament, this brings the total to one hundred and sixty (160).