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ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY
(1) The President of the Party shall be elected at the General Conference of the Party.
(2) A candidate shall indicate to the Secretary-General of the Party his intention to stand for the
Office of the President of the Party not less than one day before the date of the General Conference.
(4) The Secretary General of the Party shall submit the name or names of the candidates of the
Central Committee for consideration and where there is more than one candidate the Central Committee
may indicate support for one of the candidates.
(5) The Central Committee shall submit the name of the candidate or candidates to the National
Council for approval or disapproval.
(6) The person whose candidature for the office is not approved by the National Council shall not be
Eligible for election at the General Conference for the office of the President of the Party.
FULL CONSTITUTION OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT
PREAMBLE
CHAPTER l
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
PAGE
ARTICLE 1
i) Name of the Party
ii) Philosophy
ARTICLE 2
i) Main Task of the Party ii)
Hard Work
ARTICLE 3
Public Institutions
ARTICLE 4
Struggle against exploitation
ARTICLE 5
Party Supreme Organ
CHAPTER II
ARTICLE 6 Membership
of the Party
ARTICLE 7 Membership
is Voluntary
ARTICLE 8
Life Membership
ARTICLE 9
Joining the Party
ARTICLE 10
Admissions to the Party
ARTICLE 11
Resignation and expulsion from the Party
ARTICLE 12
Re Admission from the Party
ARTICLE 13 Quality
of Leadership
ARTICLE 14
Rights of a Member PAGE
ARTICLE 15
Obligations of a Member
ARTICLE 16
Discipline in the Party
ARTICLE 17
Members are subject to Discipline
ARTICLE 18
Objective of Discipline
ARTICLE 19
Sanctions
CHAPTER III
STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION OF THE PARTY
ARTICLE 20
Structure of the Party
ARTICLE 21
Sections
ARTICLE 22
Village
ARTICLE 23
Composition of Section Committee
ARTICLE 24
Section Committee
ARTICLE 25
Branches
ARTICLE 26
Branch Council
ARTICLE 27
Branch Committee
ARTICLE 28
Composition
ARTICLE 29
Wards
ARTICLE 30
a) Ward Council
b) Ward Committee
ARTICLE 31
Ward Council and Committee
2
I ARTICLE 32
Composition
ARTICLE 33
Constituency
ARTICLE 34
Constituency Conference
ARTICLE 35
Composition
ARTICLE 36
Constituency Committee
ARTICLE 37
Constituency Supreme Organ
ARTICLE 38
District
ARTICLE 39
District Conference
ARTICLE 40
Composition
ARTICLE 41
District Committee
ARTICLE 42
Province
ARTICLE 43
Provincial Conference
ARTICLE 44
Provincial Council
ARTICLE 45
Provincial Committee
ARTICLE 46
General Conference
ARTICLE 47
Decisions of the General Conference
ARTICLE 48
The National Council
ARTICLE 49
Meetings of National Council
ARTICLE 50
Composition of National Council
3
PAGE ARTICLE 51
Central Committee
ARTICLE 52
Election of the President
ARTICLE 53
Resignation or Removal of the President
ARTICLE 54
Vice President
ARTICLE 55
National Chairman
ARTICLE 56
Secretary General of the Party
ARTICLE 57
Election of members of the Central Committee
ARTICLE 58
Powers and Functions of the Central Committee
ARTICLE 59
Committees of the Central Committee
ARTICLE 60
Committee of Chairmen
CHAPTER IV
PAGE
ARTICLE 61
Powers and Functions of the President of the Party
ARTICLE 62 Mass
Organizations
ARTICLE 63
Objectives and Regulations of Mass Organizations
ARTICLE 64
Party Electoral Commission
ARTICLE 65
Appointment of members of the Commission
ARTICLE 66
Party Candidates
ARTICLE 67
Motto
ARTICLE 68
Party Regulations
4 ARTICLE 69
Standing Orders
ARTICLE 70
National Council and Standing Orders
ARTICLE 71
Amendment of the Constitution
ARTICLE 72
Commencement of Party Constitution
ARTICLE 73
Party Constitution
ARTICLE 74
Regulations of the Party
5
PAGE CONSTITUTION OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS Zambia is now and forever a free, united, indivisible and independent sovereign State due to
the historic fact that the people of Zambia spearheaded launched and won a just and relentless struggle for national
independence and liberation of the motherland;
RECOGNISING that the party is the leading political force and shall continue to revolutionary
organization in which participatory democracy shall be rigidly and strictly maintained, wielded together by
patriotism and the voluntary acceptance of belonging to it;
DETERMINED to pursue a policy of equality, justice, liberty, solidarity, peace, political economic and
social progress and prosperity for all;
DECLARING that the party recognizes the inalienable right of all people to self-determination and
national independence and that any people have a right to wage liberation struggle; and further that the Party shall
work to enhance the development of an African Union.
NOW therefore: WE ACCORDINGLY PROCLAIM AND GIVE TO OURSELVES
THIS CONSTITUTION.
CHAPTER I
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
ARTICLE 1.
i) NAME OF THE PARTY:
The name of the party shall be the Patriotic Front (hereinafter referred to as “the Party”).
ii) PHILOSOPHY:
The Party guided by humbleness and self-criticism.
The militant organization of revolutionary peasants, workers and intellectuals.
ARTICLE 2.
i) Main Task
The main task of the Party and the working people of the Republic of Zambia is to accomplish a transition
from self centeredness.
b) Hard Work
The Party demands hard work, honest, sacrifice and self-reliance in all activities to improve the living
conditions and ensure greater benefits to the people of Zambia.
ARTICLE 3
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
The Party shall ensure that all the public institutions, State-owned enterprises and popular mass and similar
organizations are led by persons who are members of the Party and who are uncompromisingly committed to
achievements of the Party.
6 ARTICLE 4
STRUGGLE AGAINST EXPLOITATION
The Party shall wage a relentless struggle against all domestic and international forces of reaction. It shall fight for the
eradication of Capitalism, with its offshoots; poverty, with its offshoots of Hunger, Ignorance, Disease, Crime,
Corruption and the exploitation of man by man.
ARTICLE 5
PARTY SUPREME ORGAN
The Party is the supreme organization and the guiding political force in the land. Its aims and objectives as expressed in
this Constitution shall provide guidelines for all persons and associated to it.
CHAPTER II
MEMBERSHIP
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
ARTICLE 6
MEMBERSHIP OF THE PARTY
Membership of the Party is an honour, which entails a heavy responsibility that demands high political and moral
qualities as well as selfless dedication to the cause of the Party which is the cause of the people.
ARTICLE 7
MEMBERSHIP IS VOLUNTARY
Membership of the Party is voluntary and open to all political conscious and active Zambian revolutionary peasants,
workers and intellectuals who accept the Party’s policies and programmes of action.
ARTICLE 8
LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Once a person has become a member, he shall retain his membership for life except when it is terminated as provided in
this Constitution.
ARTICLE 9
JOINING THE PARTY
(i) A person desiring to join the Party shall apply orally or in writing supported by two members of
the party, to the appropriate party officials of the section.
(ii) The minimum age of membership shall be 18 years.
ARTICLE 10
ADMISSION TO THE PARTY
When a person is finally admitted to the Party, he shall not be required to pay any:-
(i) Membership fee at the time of joining;
(ii) To the Party according to his means.
7 ARTICLE 11
RESIGNATION AND EXPULSION FROM THE PARTY
A member who resigned or was expelled from the Party and wishes to rejoin the Party may apply for readmission;
and if re-admission is granted, he shall be required to pay no admission fee.
ARTICLE 12
RE ADMISSION FROM THE PARTY
A member who is expelled or has resigned from the party may be readmitted on application to the appropriate Party
officials and shall not be required to pay any admission fee.
ARTICLE 13
QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP
(i) In addition to fulfilling the membership requirements as provided in this Constitution, a leader
Must be selfless and prepared to spread the benefits of independence to all citizens without regard to tribe,
race, colour, sex, religion, region of origin.
(ii) In order to have the above qualities realized, a leader must not:
a) use his official position personal or private gain or benefit or practice favouritism contrary to the
purposes for which he holds the office; or
b) engage in any corrupt practices or receive any secret income, accept bribe or participate in any
criminal activities; or
(iii) A leader who indulges in any of these prohibited practices shall be deemed to have himself created
Conditions for his removal from office.
ARTICLE 14
RIGHTS OF A MEMBER
1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a member of the Party shall enjoy the following
Rights:
(a) To eject or be elected or appointed to the leadership in the organs of the Party;
(b) To participate freely at Party meetings, in discussions on Party work and policies, and to
Present proposals on, or to seek clarification to, any question on the life of the Party;
(c) To attend in person Party meetings that discuss and make decisions on his activities and
Work, and to defend himself before appropriate Party organs on charges leveled against him and
to appeal to a higher organ if he is not satisfied with a decision or judgment given;
(d) To request the Party at all levels up to and including the General Conference to consider
Any question or petition provided the laid down procedures are followed;
(e) To request the Party to penalise any member who suppresses constructive criticism or
victimises a fellow member for such criticism.
ARTICLE 15
OBLIGA TIONS OF A MEMBER
1) It is the obligation of a member of the Party:
8 (a) To be fully committed to the realization of the aims and goals of the leadership of the
Party;
(b) To be devoted to the Party, the State and the working class movement in the country;
(c) To practice criticism at Party meetings as a way of ensuring that all shortcomings in the
Party, Government and the State are removed in comradely spirit;
(d) To support and implement all Socialist oriented decisions and projects proposed or
Adopted by the Party;
(e) To cultivate labour habits aimed at raising labour productivity, and the general
Improvement of skills of workers;
(f) To improve ideological knowledge and awareness against detractors, counter
Revolutionaries and saboteurs;
(g) To fight against all manifestations of over-indulgence tendencies, bourgeois tendencies,
Tribalism, regionalism, corruption, nepotism, racial discrimination and the exploitation of man
by man.
ARTICLE 16
DISCIPLINE IN THE PARTY
A Party leader is an official of the Party who either by election or by appointment has been
Entrusted with responsibility in the Party.
ARTICLE 17
MEMBERS ARE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE
All members of the Party are subject to the disciplinary Rules of the Party and any member who
commits an offense against the Party is liable to disciplinary action.
ARTICLE 18
OBJECTIVE OF DISCIPLINE
The primary objectives of discipline and sanction is to educate a Party member who makes
Mistakes and to safeguard the purity and integrity of the Party.
ARTICLE 19
SANCTIONS
Depending on the seriousness of the error or offense committed by a member, the following
Sanctions shall be applied:
(a) Simple warning or caution;
(b) Written reprimand or censure;
(c) Demotion in office of the Party;
(d) Suspension from office or function in the Party;
(e) Debarring from holding office in the Party;
(f) Suspension from membership of the Party
(g) Expulsion from the Party and where necessary public denunciation.
9 CHAPTER III
STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION OF THE PARTY
General Principles
ARTICLE 20
STRUCTURE OF THE PARTY
1) The Structural organization of the Party shall be based on the following democratic principles:
(a) All organs of the Party shall be elective;
(b) All organs of the Party shall unless otherwise stated shall be answerable and shall
Periodically submit account of their work to the body that elected or constituted them;
(c) A decision of a superior organ shall be binding upon subordinate organs;
(d) A decision of the majority shall prevail over that of the minority who shall be required to
Defend such a decision as their own;
(e) Except where it is otherwise it is provided in this Constitution, the quorum for all Party
Meetings shall be half of the members who are entitled to attend the meeting.
2) The powers and functions of organs of the Party shall be determined by the National
Councilor the Central Committee and contained in the Regulations or Standing Orders.
3) A representative of an organization or body to a Party organ, meeting or conference shall
Be elected or appointed in accordance with the procedure laid down by the organization or body
represented.
ARTlCLE21
SECTIONS
There shall be a Section which will be the primary organ of the Party.
ARTlCLE22
VILAGGE
A Section shall be formed in any village or group of villages or residential area or locality of up-to
Twenty-five houses where there are at least five members of the Party.
ARTlCLE23
COMPOSITION OF SECTION COMMITTEE In
every Section there shall be:
(a) A Section Council composed of all members of the Section; and (b) a
Section Committee;
ARTlCLE24
SECTION COMMITTEE
The Section Committee shall be composed of a Chairman, Secretary and two committee members
elected by the Section Council once every three years.
10 ARTICLE 25
BRANCHES
(1) There shall be formed Branches of the Party.
(2) A Branch shall consist of either ten (10) Sections or not less than fifty (50) members.
ARTICLE 26
BRANCH COUNCIL
In every Branch there shall be:
(a) a Branch Council composed of members of the Section Committees within the Branch and any other members
whose numbers and mode of election shall be specified in Party Rules; and
(b) A Branch Committee elected by the Branch Council.
ARTICLE 27
ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY
(1) The President of the Party shall be elected at the General Conference of the Party.
(2) A candidate shall indicate to the Secretary-General of the Party his intention to stand for the
Office of the President of the Party not less than one day before the date of the General Conference.
(4) The Secretary General of the Party shall submit the name or names of the candidates of the
Central Committee for consideration and where there is more than one candidate the Central Committee
may indicate support for one of the candidates.
(5) The Central Committee shall submit the name of the candidate or candidates to the National
Council for approval or disapproval.
(6) The person whose candidature for the office is not approved by the National Council shall not be
Eligible for election at the General Conference for the office of the President of the Party.
BRANCH COMMITTEE
The Branch Committee shall be the superior primary organ of the Party at Branch level and shall
approve and keep membership records.
ARTICLE 28
COMPOSITION
The Branch Committee shall comprise of the following:
(a) A Chairman;
(b) A Secretary;
(c) A Treasurer; and
(d) A Publicity Secretary;
Elected once in every three years.
ARTICLE 29
WARDS
There shall be formed Wards in every District.
ARTICLE 30
In every Ward there shall be:
(a) A Ward Council; and
(b) A Ward Committee, elected by the Ward Council.
ARTICLE 31
WARD COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE
A Ward Council shall consist of all Branch Committee members from each Branch and such number of
other members as may be specified in the Party Rules from time to time.
11 ARTICLE 32
COMPOSITION
(1) A Ward leadership shall comprise of the following:
(a) A Chairman (a Councilor) of the Ward elected by all Party members in the Ward, and vice
Chairman;
(b) A Secretary and a Vice Secretary;
(c) A Treasurer and Vice Treasurer;
(d) A Publicity Secretary and a Vice Publicity Secretary;
Elected by the Ward Council once in every three years and
(2) Persons standing for posts in the Ward Committee shall be subject to approval of the District and
Provincial Committees on behalf of the Central Committee.
ARTICLE 33
CONSTITUENCY
In every Constituency there shall be:
(a) A Constituency Conference which shall be the supreme organ; (b)
a Constituency Council; and
(c) A Constituency Committee.
ARTICLE 34
CONSTITUENCY CONFERENCE
(1) The Constituency Conference shall comprise:
(a) The Constituency Chairman, who shall preside at meeting of the Conference; (b)
the Constituency Committee;
(c) The members of the Ward Committees in the Constituency; (d)
the Member of Parliament in the Constituency;
(e) One representative from each of the mass organizations.
ARTICLE 35
COMPOSITION
The Constituency Council shall compose of:
(a) The Constituency Chairman;
(b) The Constituency Committee;
( c) All Councillors in the Constituency;
(d) A member of Parliament in the Constituency;
(e) One representative from each of the mass organizations;
ARTICLE 36
CONSTITUENCY COMMITTEE
The Constituency Committee shall comprise of:
(a) The Constituency Chairman;
12 (b) The Constituency Committee members;
(c) One representative each from the Youth and Women’s Leagues; and one Committee member.
ARTICLE 37
CONSTITUENCY SUPREME ORGAN
1) The Constituency Conference shall be the supreme organ of the Party and the highest authority at the
Constituency level.
2) The Constituency shall meet at least once in a year.
ARTICLE 38
DISTRICT
At the District level there shall be:
(a) A District Conference which shall be the supreme organ; (a)
a District Council; and
(b) A District Committee.
ARTICLE 39
DISTRICT CONFERENCE
(1) The District Conference shall comprise the following members:
(a) The Member of the Central Committee for the Province (Chairman); (b)
the District Committee;
(c) All members of the Constituency Council in the Province;
(d) One representative from each mass organization operating in the Province
(e) District Women’s League Chairperson and District Youth League Chairperson;
(f) Ward Committee members comprising of the Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity Secretary of the Wards in the
Province.
(2) The District Conference shall meet at least once in a year.
ARTICLE 40
COMPOSITION
The District Council shall compose of:
(a) The District Chairman;
(b) The District Committee;
(c) Constituency Chairmen;
(d) Mass organization;
( e) The Members of Parliament;
(f) Councillors; and
(g) One representative from each of the mass organizations operative in the Province;
13 ARTlCLE41
DISTRICT COMMITTEE
The District Committee shall comprise of:
(d) The District Chairman;
(e) The District Committee;
(f) One representative each from the Youth and Women’s Leagues; and one Committee member.
ARTlCLE42
PROVINCE
At the Provincial level there shall be:
(a) A Provincial Conference which shall be the supreme organ;
(b) A Provincial Council;
(c) A Provincial Committee.
ARTlCLE43
PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE
(I) The Provincial Conference shall comprise the following members:
(a) The Member of the Central Committee for the Province (Chairman);
(b) The Provincial Secretary;
(c) All members of the District Council in the Province;
(d) One representative from each mass organization operating in the Province;
(e) Provincial Women’s League Chairperson and Provincial Youth League Chairperson;
(f) Ward Committee members comprising of the Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity
Secretary of the Wards in the Province.
(2) The Provincial Conference shall meet at least once in a year.
ARTICLE 44
POVINCIAL COUNCIL
The Provincial Council shall comprise:
(a) The Member of Central Committee for the Province (Chairman); (b)
the Provincial Political Secretary (Vice Chairman);
(c) The District Chairmen;
(d) The District Political Secretaries;
(e) the Members of Parliament;
(f) District Chairmen of Women’s and youth Leagues;
(g) One representative from each of the mass organizations operative in the Province;
ARTlCLE45
PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE
The Membership of the Provincial Committee shall be:
(a) The Member of the Central Committee for the Province (Chairman);
(b) The Provincial Secretary
(c) One representative from each of the Youth and Women’s Leagues; and one Committee member.
14 ARTICLE 46
GENERAL CONFERENCE
(1) The supreme policy-making organ of the Party is the General Conference.
(2 The General Conference shall meet ordinarily every five (5) years but
extraordinary session when convened as provided in this Constitution.
May meet III
(3) An extraordinary General Conference shall have the same powers as the ordinary General
Conference.
(4) The General Conference shall be attended by:
(a) All members of the National Council; and
(b) Up to 500 delegates from each province selected in accordance with rules made by the Central
Committee.
(5) The General Conference shall have the following functions:
(a) To elect the President of the Party and Members of the Central Committee; (b) to
formulate and revise Party policies and programmers;
(c) To amend, approve or adopt Party Constitution;
(d) To define and orientate general policies for the nation’s development. (e)
To consider and approve National Development Plans.
(6) The voting at the General Conference shall be by secret ballot.
ARTlCLE47
DECISIONS OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
The decisions of the General Conference shall be valid and obligatory for the Party and may only be
revoked or altered by the General Conference.
ARTICLE 48
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
There shall be the National Council of the Party which shall be the highest policy-making body of the Party in the
interval between General Conferences.
ARTlCLE49
MEETINGS OF NATIONAL COUNCIL
(1) The National Council shall meet once in a year but may meet extraordinarily when
Convened by the Central Committee or at the request of the one-third of its members.
(2) It shall be within the competence of the National Council:
(a) To direct the activities of organs of the Party the State within two frame work of the principles
And resolutions passed by the General Conference;
(b) To determine the political line for the implementation of Party polices; (c)
to review and appraise Party programmers;
(d) To approve candidates for the office of the President of the Party or Member of the Central
Committee;
(e) To review, consider National Development Plans, and plan the economy of the country; (f) to
re-appraise legal and socio-cultural organization and development of the country;
15 (g) To receive, review and consider Party reports, resolutions and recommendations from provinces and
the Central Committee;
(h) To hear appeals and review decisions relating to disciplinary actions taken by the Central Committee;
(i) To consider expulsion of members of the Party.
ARTICLE 50
COMPOSITION OF NATIONAL COUNCIL
(1) The National Council of the Party shall be composed as follows:
(a) Members of the Central Committee; (b)
Members of the National Assembly; (c)
Provincial Secretaries;
(d) District Chairmen;
(e) District Secretaries;
(f) District Chairmen and Committee members of the Women’s and Youth Leagues. (g)
Senior officers from the Party’s National Headquarters.
(2) The quorum of the National Council shall be half of its membership.
(3) There shall be Committees of the National Council whose names, numbers and functions shall be
determined by the National Council.
ARTICLE 51
THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
(1) There shall be a Central Committee of the Party, which shall consist of thirty (30)
Members as follows:
(a) The President of the Party;
(b) The Secretary General of the Party; appointed by the President of the
Party from amongst the members of the Central Committee;
(c) twenty-five (25) members elected by the General Conference;
(d) Three members appointed by the President of the Party.
(2) The quorum of the Central Committee shall be half of its Membership.
ARTICLE 52
ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY
(1) The President of the Party shall be elected at the General Conference of the Party.
(2) A candidate shall indicate to the Secretary-General of the Party his intention to stand for the
Office of the President of the Party not less than one day before the date of the General Conference.
(4) The Secretary General of the Party shall submit the name or names of the candidates of the
Central Committee for consideration and where there is more than one candidate the Central Committee
may indicate support for one of the candidates.
(5) The Central Committee shall submit the name of the candidate or candidates to the National
Council for approval or disapproval.
(6) The person whose candidature for the office is not approved by the National Council shall not be
Eligible for election at the General Conference for the office of the President of the Party.
16 (7) A candidate whose candidature for the office of the President of the Party is approved by the
National Council shall lodge his nomination papers with the Returning Officer appointed by the
Electoral Commission supported by twenty (20) delegates from each of the Provinces of Zambia
attending the General Conference.
(8) If more than one candidate stand for the office of the President of the Party, each delegate to the
General Conference shall vote for one candidate only and the candidate who receives the greatest
number of votes shall be the sole candidate for election to the office of the President of the Republic.
(9) Where only one candidate has filed nomination papers at the close of nomination, such a
Candidate shall be declared duly elected President of the Party without conducting a poll.
(10) A member of the Party shall not be qualified as a candidate for the office of the President of the
Party unless he has been a member of the Party for five (5) years immediately preceding the
nomination and he is qualified under the Constitution of Zambia for election to the office of the
President of Zambia.
(11) If the person elected as President of the Party is not elected as President of the Republic he shall
Continue to be President of the Party until a President of the Party is elected at another extra
ordinary General Conference.
ARTICLE 53
RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY
(1) In the event of the President of the Party resigning, or being removed from Office of The
President of the Party, he shall cease to be President of the Party and the Secretary General shall act as
President of the Party until the new President is elected in accordance with provisions of Article 48 of this
Constitution.
(2) In case of absence of both the President and the Secretary-General of the Party, the President of the
Party shall choose one from amongst the members of the Central Committee to perform the functions
of the President of the Party until such a time as the President or Secretary General of the Party shall
resume his duties.
ARTICLE 54
VICE PRESIDENT
FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
(1) The Vice President shall have the following powers, duties and functions:
a) to be the principal assistant to the President of the Party;
b) to exercise all such functions as may be delegated to him by the President;
c) to act for the President in his absence;
d) To exercise the functions of President in case of death or removal from office in terms of
Article 53.
(2) A candidate to the Office of Vice President shall not be less than thirty (35) years old.
17 ARTICLE 55
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
The National Chairman shall have the following powers, duties and functions:
(a) To assist the President in the discharge of the duties and functions of the Party;
(b) In the absence of the President and Vice President, the National Chairman shall perform all
The duties and functions of the President or Vice President the case may be;
(c) To preside over national rallies and public meetings convened by the Party of meetings of the
Party and meetings of the Convention.
(d) In the absence of the National Chairman the Deputy National Chairman shall deputise for
Him.
ARTICLE 56
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PARTY
The Secretary-General shall hold office on full time basis and shall have the following powers, duties and
functions;
(a) Be the chief administrative officer of the Party responsible for the supervision,
Coordination and efficient administration of the day to day activities of the Party;
(b) To be responsible for Party organization and mobilization;
(c) To be the Secretary to the Central Committee, National Council and General Conference;
(d) To maintain a register of the Party’s membership;
(e) To be in constant Liaison with all the Section, Branch, Ward, Constituency, District and
Provincial Committees;
(f) To keep records, minutes and correspondence of meetings and decisions of the National,
Provincial, District, Constituency, Ward, Branch and Section organs as well as of the affiliate
organizations.
(g) In the absence of the Secretary General the Deputy Secretary General shall deputise for
Him.
ARTICLE 57
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE
(1) The election of twenty (20) Members of the Central Committee shall be held at the General
Conference of the Party.
(2) Candidates shall indicate to the President of the Party not less than one day before the day of the
Conference their intention to stand for the office of the Member of the Central Committee.
(3) (a) The President of the Party shall submit his list of candidates together with the names
of other candidates for the office of the Member of Central Committee to the National
Council for consideration and approval.
b) The National Council in approving the names of candidates shall have regard to the
Merit of the candidates and the need to have all parts of the country represented in the Central
Committee as far as possible.
(4) A person whose candidature has been disapproved by the National Council shall not be eligible
For election as a Member of the Central Committee.
18ARTICLE
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
(5) All candidates whose candidature has been approved by the National Council shall lodge their
nomination papers supported by ten (10) sponsors who are delegates at the General Conference, with the
Returning Officer appointed by the Electoral Commission.
(6) If there are more than twenty (20) candidates standing for the office of Member of Central
Committee, each delegate to the General Conference shall vote for twenty (20) candidates and the twenty
(20) candidates receiving the highest votes shall be declared duly elected members of the Central
Committee. Where only twenty (20) candidates have filed their nominations papers at the close of
nomination, such candidates shall be declared duly elected Members of the Central Committee without
conducting polls.
(7) No person shall be eligible for election as a Member of the Central Committee unless he! She:
(a) is a citizen of Zambia;
(b) is a member of the Party for at least five years;
(c) has attained the age of twenty one years (21);
(d) is literate in, and conversant with the official language of Zambia;
(e) is a disciplined person without a criminal record?
(8) In the event of a Member of the Central Committee (other than the President of the Party)
resigning, being incapacitated, dying or otherwise ceasing to be a Member of the Central
Committee, the National Council shall elect another person to fill the vacancy.
ARTICLE 58
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
The Central Committee shall have the following powers and functions:
(a) Supervising the implementation of the Party policies and programmes;
(b) Programming Party policies as formulated by the General Conference or the National Council;
(c) Enforcing discipline among members and officials of the Party;
(d) Regulating and controlling activities of all organs of the Party;
(e) Ensuring that records of all Party activities are kept and supervising proper maintenance of records and books
of accounts at all levels of the Party organization;
(f) Exercising the function of orientation and leadership of the Party;
(g) Initiating, whenever possible, Party policies for consideration by the National Councilor the General
Conference;
(h) Orientating and controlling activities of the central organs of the State and other public institutions in the
country;
(i) Guiding and giving correct orientation to popular mass organizations;
(j) Hearing appeals from appropriate disciplinary bodies;
(k) Summoning regular or extraordinary meetings of the National Councilor the General Conference;
19 (I) initiating and approving changes in the Regulations and Rules of the Party;
(m) Taking action which in the opinion of the Central Committee is in the best interest, security and development
of the Party and the State;
(n) Constituting such administrative structures at the Party National Headquarters as may facilitate smooth and
efficient functioning of the Party.
ARTICLE 59
COMMITTEES OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
1. There shall be twenty four Committees of the Central Committee whose Chairmen shall be appointed by the
President of the Party from among the Members of the Central Committee. The Committees shall be as
follows:-
(a) National Chairman
(b) Deputy National Chairman (c)
Deputy Secretary General
(d) Women’s League, Child Development Committee (e)
Finance Committee
(f) Legal Committee
(g) Foreign Committee
(h) National Security Committee
(i) Agriculture, Animal Development Committee (j)
Commerce Committee
(k) Industry Committee
(I) Education, Research, Science and Technology Committee
(m) Local Government, Housing Environmental Protection Committee (n)
Health Committee
(0) Transport and Communication Committee
(p) Community Development and Primary Health Committee (q)
Labour and Social Development Committee
(r) Mining and Mineral Development Committee
(s) Lands and Natural Resources Committee
(t) Information Committee
(u) Art, Culture and Sports Development Committee (v)
Elections Committee
(w) Energy Development Committee
(x) Youth Development Committee
2. Each Committee shall consist not more than twenty members.
3. The President shall appoint not more than six advisers to each of the Committees.
ARTICLE 60
COMMITTEE OF CHAIRMEN
(1) The powers, duties and functions of Chairmen of Committees shall be:
a) to formulate policies and programmes in their specific areas of jurisdiction;
b) to plan and monitor the implementation of Party policies and programmes in relation to the
Party manifesto;
20 c) to implement the decisions and instructions of the General Conference, or of the Central
Committee.
d) To deal with any other matters which in the opinion of the Central Committee are
incidental to and conducive to the realization of the aims and objectives of the Party?
(2) Chairmen of Committees shall have power to appoint to their Committees not less than four and
Not more than twenty members whose membership shall be ratified by the Central Committee.
(3) Committee Chairmen;-
1. National Chairman
2. Deputy National Chairman
3. Deputy Secretary General
4. Chairman Women’s League, Child Development
5. Chairman Finance
6. Chairman Legal
7. Chairman Foreign
8. Chairman National Security
9. Chairman Agriculture, Animal Development
10. Chairman Commerce
11. Chairman Industry
12. Chairman Education, Research, Science and Technology
13. Chairman Local Government, Housing Environmental Protection
14. Chairman Health
15. Chairman Transport and Communication
16. Chairman Community Development and Primary Health
17. Chairman Labour ~and Social Development
18. Chairman Mining and Mineral Development
19. Chairman Lands and Natural Resources
20. Chairman Information
21. Chairman Art, Culture and Sports Development
22. Chairman Elections
23. Chairman Energy Development
24. Chairman Youth Development
CHAPTER IV
ARTICLE 61
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY
The President of the Party shall:
(a) Be the principal spokesman of the Party on national and international affairs;
(b) Create offices in the Party;
(c) Preside over meetings of the Central Committee;
(d) Convene meetings of the Central Committee and National Council;
(e) Exercise discretion in regard to items for discussion by the Central Committee or the
National Council and May after explanation to the appropriate body, delete any item from the
agenda of a meeting;
(f) Give instruction to any official or member of the Party;
(g) Empower any member of the Party to exercise any powers or specified functions for and
On behalf of the President, Party or the Central Committee;
21 (h) Appoint ad hoc or Standing Committees to advise the party on any matter whatsoever;
(i) Have power to take disciplinary action against a member of the Party on the grounds of
The member’s misbehavior, and shall report his action to the Central Committee for ratification;
(j) Take a decision or an action which in his opinion is in the best interest of the development
or security of the Party;
(k) appoint a Member of the Central Committee to act as Secretary-General of the Party in
The absence of the substantive holder of the post.
CHAPTER V
ARTICLE 62
MASS ORGANISATIONS
(1) The following shall be designed as mass organizations of the party: (a)
Women’s League;
(b ) Youth League
(c) Any other organization so designated by the Central Committee.
ARTICLE 63
OBJECTIVES AND REGULATION OF MASS ORGANISATIONS
(1) The aims, objectives and regulations of the mass organization shall be framed and realized within
the Party’s objectives.
(2) The Constitution or Regulations of a mass organization shall be submitted to the Central
Committee for formal approval.
ARTICLE 64
PARTY ELECTORAL COMMISSION
For the purpose of Party elections, there shall be an Electoral Commission which shall be
responsible for laying down the regulations, rules and procedures relating to Party elections and shall be
responsible for orderly conduct and supervision of the Party elections.
ARTICLE 65
APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION
No person shall be appointed a member of the Electoral Commission if he holds an office or intends to
stand for election to an office in the Party.
ARTICLE 66
PARTY CANDIDATES
Every candidate in Party (other than Party Presidential and Central Committee elections), Parliamentary
and Local Government elections shall be subject to prior approval by Central Committee.
ARTICLE 67
MOTTO
(1) The motto of the Party shall be “One Zambia, One Nation”.
(2) The National Headquarters of the Party shall be situated at Lusaka, Zambia.
22 ARTICLE 68
PARTY REGULATIONS
Party Regulations and Standing Orders may be made by the Central Committee in respect of any subject to
facilitate the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution.
ARTICLE 69
STANDING ORDERS
Regulations and Standing Orders of the Party made by the Central Committee may be enforced meanwhile
subject to ratification by the National Council.
ARTICLE 70
NATIONAL COUNCIL AND STANDING ORDERS
Regulations and Standing Orders approved by the National Council shall be read as part of this Constitution
and may be amended, rescinded or altered as provided in this Constitution.
ARTICLE 71
AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
(I) This Constitution may be amended by the General Conference of the Party provided
that:
(a) notice of the proposed amendment has been circulated to members of the National Council not less than one
month before the meeting of the National Council; and
(b) the proposed amendment is subsequently approved by a two-thirds majority at the General Conference of the
Party.
(2) In the case of an Extraordinary General Conference the provisions of Clause 1 (a) of this Article
shall be deemed to have been compiled with if:
(a) at least one week’s notice of the proposed amendment is given to the members of the National Council;
(b) at least twenty-four hours’ notice is given to the delegates to the General Conference.
ARTICLE 72
COMMENCEMENT OF PARTY CONSTITUTION
This constitution shall come into operation immediately it is adopted by the General
Conference of the Party.
ARTICLE 73
PARTY CONSTITUTION
This Constitution of the Patriotic Front was adopted by …………………………………………………………………………..
23
I INDEX OF THE PARTY
ARTICLE 74
REGULATIONS OF THE PARTY
Regulations of Patriotic Front Party;
CONDITIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
I. No person shall be admitted into the party unless he or she accepts the Party’s objectives.
2. A person who is the age of sixteen (16) or above and desires to join the Party shall make application orally or
in writing to the Section Committee in his residential area. The application should be supported by two
members of the party.
Application for Membership
3. Every application should be lodged with Party Officials in the section in which the applicant resides.
4. The application and suitability for membership shall first be considered by the Section committee which shall
forward its recommendation to the Branch Committee which shall forward its decision to the Ward and
District Committees for record purposes only.
5. The Branch shall have the power to approve or disapprove any application for membership.
6. A person whose application has been rejected by the Brach Committee shall have the right to appeal to the
Ward Committee and from the Ward Committee to the District and Provincial Committees
7. A person whose application has been rejected by the Provincial Committee shall have the right to appeal to the
Central Committee whose decision shall be final.
8. (a) When a person is finally admitted into the Party, membership shall be for life unless the member resigns or
is expelled or dies.
(b) A person who was a member of the Party before the entry into force of these regulations shall continue to
be a member of the Party.
Termination of Membership
9. A member who wishes to resign from the Party shall inform his Branch Committee three (3) months in
advance.
10. The resigning member shall be required to fill in quintuplicate, a prescribed from for resignation. The Branch
Committee shall also be issued with one copy of resignation from for its retention.
11. Notwithstanding that a member has lodged resignation forms the Party may instead expel him from the Party.
12. Termination of membership shall take effect on the date the member is handed, by the Branch Committee, a
letter of expulsion or acceptance of resignation from the Party.
13. Upon termination of membership, a person shall relinquish all Party, Government and public posts or
functions of leadership he held by virtue of his membership in the Party.
14. A person who resigns or is expelled shall surrender identity to the Branch Committee.
15. A person who resigns or is expelled shall not be refunded his entrance or subscription fees or any other money
paid whilst membership subsisted.
Re-Admission
16. A person who resigns from the Party shall not apply for re-admission within three years from the date of
resignation.
17. A person who is expelled shall not be considered for re-admission within fIve years from the date of expulsion.
18. The application for re-admission shall be supported by two (2) members of the Party resident in the section in
which the candidate resides.
24 19. An application for re-admission shall be submitted and processed in the same manner as a new member’s
application.
20. All approvals for re-admissions into the Party shall be provisional subject to confirmation of the Central
Committee.
21. Re-admissions shall not be confirmed until a period of six (6) months from the date of provisional approval
has expired during which time the applicant shall be closely watched by his Section Committee which mayor
may not recommend him for re-admission.
22. A person who is expelled or resigns may be re-admitted into the Party earlier than the expiry of the three year
or five year period respectively, if on a petition of penitence by him, the President or the Central Committee
decides to re-admit him earlier.
23. Once a person has been re-admitted into the party he shall retain his membership for life, unless he resigns or
is expelled or dies.
LEADERSHIP
Quality of Leadership
24. A Party leader must never use his official position for his own personal gain or private benefit, nor practice
favouritism, nepotism, tribalism, or engage in corruption contrary to the purpose for which the responsibility
was entrusted to him.
25. A Party leader must always be in the forefront in the discharge of his duties and must always strive to
understand, explain, defend and implement Party policies and programmes of work.
DISCIPLINE AND SANCTIONS
26. A member of the Party who violates the Party Constitution, Regulations, or Rules or does not fulfill the
decisions and directives of the Party or misuses his Party or State prestige of the Party or Sate, shall have
sanctions applied against him.
27. The sanctions shall only be decided and applied by the Party Committees or Organ to which the member in
question belongs, or by superior organs or committees.
28. A member shall have a right of appeal to a high organ against any decision as provided in regulations 41 and
42 of these regulations.
29. Offenses against the party shall include:-
a. violation of a provision of the Constitution, Regulations, objectives and Programmes of the Party;
b. breach of Rules of the Party;
c. acting in the manner that is likely to bring the name of the Party into ridicule or contempt or
disrepute;
d. disobeying any rule, direction, order or instruction of any organ of the Party;
e. being in a state of drunkenness at a Party meeting, in the case of an ordinary member of the Party, or
in the case of an official member of the Party, being in a state of drunkenness at any time;
f. engaging in any fraudulent or dishonest practices which tend to embarrass the Party, or participating
in any act of bribery or corruption;
g. giving out any Party confidential information without the proper authorization of the Party to do so;
h. spreading false information or rum ours which tend to injure the reputation of the Party or any of its
officials;
i. acting disrespectfully to the party or any of its officials at any meeting of the Party;
j. giving false information to any organ of the Party or any of its officials with intend to deceive or
mislead.
k. assuming any title of office to which not elected or appointed to, or not provided for in the
Constitution of the Party;
1. defrauding the Party and its officials;
m. deliberately failing to attend Party meeting;
n. publishing or causing to be published, orally, or in writing any matter which is the opinion of the
Central Committee or the National Council, is an attack on the Party, or on a member or
25 official of the Party in relation to the discharge of his functions as a member or official of the Party.
o. collecting funds in the name of the party without authority of the Provincial Committee or failing to
issue proper receipts;
p. committing any act, which in the opinion of the Central Committee is not in the interest
of the Party.
30. (1) Depending on the seriousness of the error or offense committed by a member, the following sanctions
shall be applied by each of the prescribed disciplinary organs of the Party.
(i) Section Disciplinary Committee (a)
simple warning or caution; (b)
written reprimand.
(ii) Branch Disciplinary Committee (a)
simple warning or caution; (b)
written reprimand.
(c) Constituency and District
(iii) Ward Disciplinary Committees (a)
simple warning or caution; (b)
written reprimand;
(c) suspension from the Party for not more than three months.
(iv) Constituency Disciplinary Committees (a)
simple warning or caution;
(b) written reprimand
(c) suspension from the party for not more than three months
(v) The District Disciplinary Committees (a)
simple warning or caution;
(b) written reprimand;
(c) suspension from office of the Party for not more than six months.
(vi) Provincial Disciplinary Committee (a)
simple warning or caution;
(b) written reprimand;
(c) demotion in office of the Party;
(d) suspension from office in the Party fro not more than one year;
(vii) Appointments and Disciplinary Committee (a)
simple warning;
(b) written reprimand;
(c) demotion in office of the Party;
(d) debarring from holding office in the Party for nor more than three years; (e)
suspension from the office or functions of membership of the Party;
(t) expulsion from the Party and where necessary public denunciation.
32. All suspensions and expulsion from membership of the Party shall be subject to the confirmation of the
Central Committee.
Expulsion or suspension after conviction
33. All officials of the Party and Members of the Central Committee, Provincial Political Secretaries, District
Chairmen, Members of the National Assembly, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, convicted of any offence
by a court of Law but having appealed against the conviction shall be suspended from office while awaiting
the appeal.
26 34. A member convicted of serious offence like treason, espionage, subversion, sabotage, homicide, rape, robbery
and corruption, etc shall be expelled from the Party.
35. All Party Committees shall keep records of disciplinary action taken by them and the National Headquarters
shall be notified of all such actions.
Appointments and Disciplinary Committee
Disciplinary Organs
36.(a) The Appointments and Disciplinary Committee of the Central Committee shall be
responsible for the discipline of the following leaders irrespective of the locality where the offence as
committed;
(i) Members of the Central Committee, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Provincial Political Secretaries, and
Heads of Zambian Missions abroad;
(ii) all officers of and above the rank of Assistant Secretary in the Party and Government;
(iii) all officers of and above the rank of High Court Judge including Director of Public Prosecutions;
(iv) all officers of and above the rank of General Manager of a parastatal
organizations.
(b) The Committee shall hear appeals from Provincial Committees, Party Secretariat Disciplinary Committee
and all Service Commissions.
(c) The Committee shall have power to review decisions of the Provincial Committees. It will also have
original jurisdiction.
(d) The Committee may from time to time give to subordinate disciplinary organs instructions to take
disciplinary action against Party members in their areas of jurisdiction who may be in breach of the Party
discipline.
The Central Committee
37. (a) The Central Committee shall be responsible for discipline of the Party members. It shall hear appeals from
the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee of the Central Committee.
(a) The Central Committee shall have power to review decisions of the Appointments and Disciplinary
Committee and shall have original jurisdiction.
The National Council
38. The National Council shall hear appeals against the decisions of the Central Committee and may delegate its
disciplinary functions to an ad hoc Appeal Committee of the National Council.
The General Conference
39. The General Conference shall hear appeals from the decisions of the National Council and may delegate its
disciplinary functions to an hoc Committee of the General Conference.
Disciplinary Proceedings
40. A disciplinary Committee instituting disciplinary proceedings against a member, shall follow the procedure
laid down in these Regulations.
No Appeal Against General Conference Decision
Appeals
41. There shall be no appeal against the disciplinary decision passed by the General Conference.
27 42. Where appeal is possible, the procedure of appeal shall be as laid down in these Regulations.
STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION OF THE PARTY
Organisation of the Party
43. All organs of the Party shall be registered with and issued with Certificate of Registration by the Secretary
General of the Party.
THE SECTION
The Section
44. A Section shall be formed in any residential area or village or locality of twenty-five (25) Houses, where there
are at least five (5) members of the Party.
Section Committee
45. There shall be a Section Committee elected once every three (3) years from among active members of the
Section. Committee members shall be eligible for re-election.
Functions of Section Committee
46. Functions and responsibilities of the Section Committee, which shall meet regularly, but not less than once a
month, shall include:
(a) implementation of the Party programmes and directives; (b)
explain and publicizing Party policies;
(c) raising funds for the Party and collecting, members’ subscriptions.
(d) encouraging Party members to work collectively in order to advance the political, social, cultural and
economic interests of the people in the locality in accordance with the Party’s policies and programmes.
( e) maintaining law and order and monitoring the movements, presence or activities of criminals in the
Section.
47. There shall be a Section Council composed of all members of the Party in the Section which shall: (a)
receive and review progress reports from the Section Committee;
(b) consider and approve future plans and programmes of work prepared by the Section Committee; (c)
discuss and approve finances of the Section;
(d) elect Section Committee members at appropriate times once in every two years; (e)
consider disciplinary action taken by the Section Committee;
(f) discuss general affairs of the Party and review the performance of the members of the
Section collectively and individually;
(g) ensure security of the Party, Government and the people in the Sections;
(h) be responsible for and maintain Party discipline among members in the Section; (i)
review and consider reports on law and order in the area.
THE BRANCH
The Branch Council
48. The Branch Council shall elect a Branch Committee from among the members of the Branch Council.
Branch Council Functions The
Branch Council shall:
(a) elect a Branch Committee every three (3) years;
(b) receive and review progress reports from the Branch Committee;
(c) consider and approve future plans and programmes of work affecting the Branch; (d)
consider reports from the Sections;
28 (e) consider disciplinary actions taken by the Branch Committee;
(t) review the performance of the members of the Branch Committee individually and collectively.
The Branch Committee
The Branch Committee Functions
49. The Branch Committee shall meet once every month and shall: (a)
supervise the work of the section Committee;
(b) explain and publicise Party policies
(c) supervise the implementation of the Party programmes and directives;
(d) keep Party records on such matters as membership, finances, property of the Party; (e)
supervise induction courses for new Party members organised by the Branch and
Section Committees;
(t) hear appeals from the Section within the Branch;
(g) lead the Section and co-operate with them in the enforcement of law and order in the area;
(h) be responsible for maintenance of discipline of the Section Committee members and all Party
members within the Branch area;
(i) plan and supervise the implementation of development projects in the Branch;
G) encourage Party members to work hard in order to advance the political, social, cultural and
economic interests of the people in accordance with the party’s programme;
(k) do anything which is in the interests of the Party, Government and the people in the area; and
0) receive and consider applications for membership.
THE WARD
The Ward Council
50. In every ward there shall be a Ward Council and Ward Committee.
Ward Council Functions 51.
The Ward Council shall:
(a) Conduct elections of Ward Committee every three (3) years; (b)
receive and review progress report from the Ward Committee;
(c) consider and approve future plans and programmes of work for the Ward; (d)
consider and approve development and [mancial reports from Branches; (e)
consider disciplinary actions taken by the Ward Committee;
(t) consider the general affairs of the party within the Ward;
(g) review the performance of the Branch and Section Committees individually and collectively; (h)
consider any policy matters affecting the activities of the Party in the Branches and Sections.
WARD COMMITTEE
The Ward Committee Composition
52. The Ward Committee shall comprise the following persons: (a)
a Chairman (Councilor) of the Ward;
(b) a Secretary;
(c) a Treasurer; and
(d) a Publicity Secretary and their Deputies.
The Ward Committee Functions
53. The Ward Committee shall meet at least once a month and shall:
a) supervise the work of Branch and Section Committee;
b) explain and publicise Party policies within the Ward area;
29 c) supervise the implementation of party programmes and directives;
d) co-operate with branch and section committees in mobilizing the people in the promotion of the
objectives and interest of the Party for the general development of the Ward; (e)
hear appeals from the Branch and Section Committees;
(1) receive, review and approve recommendations for application for membership of the Party;
(g) lead the Branch and Section Committees and co-operate with them in the enforcement of law and
order and defence and security of the Ward;
(h) maintain discipline of Party officials and members within the Ward; (i)
plan and supervise the implementation of development projects;
U) do anything which the Committee shall consider to be in the interest of the Party, Government
and the people resident in the Ward area;
(k) keep accounts and records of Party activities in the Ward;
(I) consider applications for membership and hear appeals from branches; and
(m) conduct courses for Party leaders in the Ward regarding Party Constitution, objectives, programmes,
administration and organization.
THE CONSTITUENCY
The Constituency Council
54.In every Constituency there shall be a Constituency Council and Constituency Committee. 55.
The Constituency Council shall:
(a) conduct elections of Constituency Committee every three (3) years; (b)
receive and review progress report from the Constituency Committee;
(c) consider and approve future plans and programmes of work for the Constituency; (d)
consider and approve development and [mancial reports from ward;
(e) consider disciplinary actions taken by the Constituency Committee;
(1) consider the general affairs of the party within the Constituency;
(g) review the performance of the branch and section committees individually and collectively and
collectively;
(h) consider any policy matters affecting the activities of the party in the ward and branches.
Constituency Committee
56. The Constituency Committee shall comprise the following persons: (a) a
Chairperson;
(b) a secretary;
( c) a treasurer; and
(d) a publicity secretary and their deputies.
57. The Constituency Committee shall meet at least once a month and shall: (a)
supervise the work of ward and branch committee;
(b) explain the policies within the constituency area;
(c) supervise the implementation of party programmes and directives;
(d) co-operate with ward and branch committees in mobilizing the people in promotion of the
objectives and interest of the party for the general development of the constituency;
( e) hear appeals from the ward and branch committee;
(1) receive, review and approve recommendations for application for membership of the party;
(g) lead the ward and branch committees and co-operate with them in the enforcement law
and order and defence and security of the constituency;
(h) maintain discipline of party officials and members within the constituency; (i)
plan and supervise the implementation of development projects;
U) encourage all the people to work hard in the spirit of self – reliance;
30 (k) do anything which the committee shall consider to be in the interest of the party,
government and the people resident in the constituency area;
(I) keep accounts and records of party activities in the constituency;
(m) consider applications for membership and hear appeals from ward; and
(n) conduct courses for party leaders in the constituency regarding party constitution, objectives,
programmes, administration and organization.
THE DISTRICT
The District Conference
58. Tenure of office for the appointed officer in the District shall be at the discretion of the
appointing authority while elective post shall be three (3) years
District Conference Functions
59. The District Conference, which shall meet at least once a year, shall: (a)
receive and approve reports from the District Committees;
(b) consider and approve future plans and programmes of work affecting Wards, Branches and
Sections;
(c) consider and approve development and financial reports from Wards, Branches and Sections; (d)
review disciplinary actions taken by the District Committees;
( e) consider general Party affairs within the District Committee;
(f) report the performance of the Ward, Branch and Section Committees; and
(g) report and formulate policy on matters affecting the activities of the party within the District.
60. Each District Conference shall be run by a District Party Committee.
The District Committee
District Committee Functions
61. The District Committee shall:
(a) supervise the work of Ward, Branch, and Section Committees;
(b) explain and publicies Party policies and programmes in the District
(c) guide and supervise all development activities in the District and consider proposals for District
development plans;
(d) guide Ward, Branch and Sections Committees in the District on ways and means of strengthening the
Party and in mobilizing Party members in implementing policies and programmes of work;
(e) co-operate with Ward, Branch and Section Committees in the enforcement of law, order and defence
and security of the District;
(f) maintain discipline of Party officials and members as well as workers in public institutions operating
in the District;
(g) receive, review and confirm recommendations for the application of membership into the
Party;
(h) keep account of Party activities in the District;
(i) encourage all the people to work hard in the spirit of self-reliance; and
U) do everything which is in the interest of the Party, Government and the people resident in the
District.
THE PROVINCE
The Provincial Conference
62. The Provincial Conference shall be comprised as provided in article 40 of the Constitution.
31 Provincial Conference Functions
The Provincial Conference shall meet at least once (1) a year and shall:
(a) receive and approve development and financial reports from the Provincial Committee;
(b) consider and approve future plans and programmes of work affecting District, Ward, Branch and
Section Committee within the Province;
(c) consider and approve development and fmancial reports from Districts;
(d) consider and formulate policies regarding activities of the Party within the Province; (e)
review disciplinary actions taken by the Provincial Committee;
(f) review the performance of all organs and officials of the Party, Government and other institutions in the
Province; and
(g) instill a spirit of hard work and self-reliance among the people.
The Provincial Council
Provincial Council Functions
63. The Provincial Council shall be composed as provided in Article 41 of the Constitution.
64. The Provincial Council shall:
(a) review development programmes in the Province;
(b) approve development plans prepared by the Provincial Committee;
(c) formulate ways of enforcing law and order and security in the Province; and
(d) ensure that the Party, Government, public institutions and organizations in the Province are functioning
efficiently.
Provincial Committee
65. Each Provincial Conference shall be run by a Provincial Committee whose composition is as
provided in Article 45 of the Constitution.
Provincial Committee functions
66. The Provincial Committee shall:
a) supervise the work of the District and other organs of the Party, Government and public institutions in the
Province;
b) explain and publicise Party policies and programmes in the Province.
c) plan, guide and supervise all developmental activities in the Province and consider proposals for
Provincial development plans:
d) receive and review development and financial reports from District Committees;
e) guide District, and other organs of the Party, on ways and means of strengthening the Party in mobilizing
Party members to accept Party policies and programmes of work as well as mobilize all the people and
organizations in the Province to work with the Party;
f) co-operate with District Committees in the enforcement of law and order and defence and security of the
Province;
g) maintain discipline of Party officials and members as well as other workers in public institutions
operating in the Province; and
h) instill a spirit of hard work and self-reliance.
THE NATIONAL ORGANS
The General Conference
General Conference Meetings
67. The General Conference shall be held in accordance with provisions of Article 43 of the
Constitution of the Party and instructions issued by the Central Committee regarding dates,
place, time, and procedure at the Conference.
68. The General Conference is the supreme policy-making organ of the Party and shall meet
32 ordinarily once every five (5) years but can meet in extraordinary sessions when convened by the
Central Committee of the Party. The extra ordinary General Conference shall have the same
powers as the ordinary Conference.
General Conference Composition
69. The General Conference shall be attended by: (a)
all members of the National Council;
(b) up to 600 delegates from each Province selected in accordance with the rules made by the Central
Committee.
General Conference Functions
70. The General Conference shall:
(a) elect the President of the Party as well as Members of the Central Committee; (b)
Formulate and revise Party policies and programmes;
(c) amend or approve or adopt Party Constitution;
(d) defend and orientate general policies for the nation’s development;
(e) consider and approve five-year or long-term National Development Plans.
71. The decision of the General Conference shall be valid and obligatory for the Party,
government and Public institutions.
72. The Chairman of National Council shall be the Chairman of any General Conference held
during his term of office.
73. The agenda for the General Conference shall be prepared by the Central
Committee approved by the National Council and adopted by the General Conference.
74. The General Conference shall make its own Standing Orders.
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
75. The National Council is the highest policy-making body of the Party in the interval between the
General Conferences.
76. At the National Council:
(a) except for attending the opening session through invitation, no person, other than the persons mentioned in
Article 45 of the Constitution of the Party, shall be entitled to attend the meeting.
(b) the delegates shall elect a Chairman of the National Council, who shall continue to be Chairman till
another Chairman is elected at next national Council.
(c) the quorum of the National Council shall be 2/3 (two Thirds) of its members, but attendance shall be
compulsory except with the prior express permission of the Secretary General of the Party.
(d) no member shall be allowed into the meeting ten minutes after the Council has commenced its business
without reasonable excuse. This rule shall be mandatory and any member, who is denied entry twice (2)
on account of late-coming, shall be answerable before the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee of
the Central Committee.
(e) except with express permission of the Secretary General or in exceptionally serious cases of illness, no
member shall be allowed to be absent from a meting of the National Councilor shall be allowed to leave
the meeting to attend to personal matters during sessions;
(f) the Chairman of the Council shall have the power to order out of the meeting or bar from the session
altogether any member who unreasonably and persistently makes noise or disrupts the deliberations.
Such member shall face disciplinary action;
33 (g) it shall be obligatory not to raise umeasonable points of order, information or clarification or any other
forms of interjections or making disrupting remarks when another delegate is speaking;
(h) no person shall release or cause to be released to the Press or otherwise, any information relating to the
proceeding of the Council, save that only the Chairman of the appropriate sub-committee of the Central
Committee, may release to the Press, resolutions of the National Council at the end of the session.
National Council Committees
77. (1) There shall be National Council Committees as follows:
I. Social and Cultural Affairs Committee;
2. Defense and Security Affairs Committee;
3. General Administration Committee;
4. Finance, Economic and Planning Committee;
5. Transport, Communication and Planning Committee;
6. Employment and Manpower Committee;
7. Land, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee;
8.Mines, Commerce and Industry Committee; 9.
Legal and Political Affairs Committee;
10. Foreign Affairs Committee;
II. Women’s Affairs Committee;
12. Youth Affairs Committee;
(2) Similar Committees as those of the National Council may be constituted at the Branch, Ward, District and
Provincial levels of the Party.
78. (a) No person shall be elected as a Member of the Central Committee unless he meets the requirements as
provided in Article 50 of the Constitution of the Party.
(b) Members of the Central Committee shall collectively or individually carry out any functions assigned to
them by the President of the Party, or the Central Committee.
APPOINTMENTS
79. The Secretary General of the Party, Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Provincial Political Secretaries,
shall be appointed by the President of the Party and shall perform any Party function assigned to them by the
President or the Central Committee.
District Chairman.
80. District Chairman shall be appointed by the President of the Party.
81. The functions and responsibilities of the District Chairman shall include supervision of day-to-day duties,
functions and administration of the Party and Government in the District.
82. District Chairman shall also carry out any Party or Government functions assigned to them by the President or
Central Committee.
Party Headquarters Secretariat
83. (1) There shall be an Administrative Secretary and Deputy Administrative Secretary
appointed by the President.
(2) The functions of the Administrative Secretary assisted by a Deputy Administrative
Secretary shall include:
(a) the organization and direction of the day-to-day administration of the Party at the National
Headquarters; and
34 (b) the co-ordination and supervision of the Party administration at all levels of the Party
organization.
The Research Bureau
84. There shall be a Research Bureau and the Archives of the Party at the National Headquarters headed by a
Director and assisted by a Deputy Director.
85. The Party Archives shall receive, store and preserve public records relating to Party and Government matters.
86. (l) The Primary function of the Research Bureau shall be to collect, research or provide background
information and data necessary for the formulation of Party policies and programmes by the Central
Committee, for which purpose it shall have power to elicit and obtain information from any institution or
person in the Republic.
(2) The Research Bureau shall also work in close consultation with other research institutions to ensure that
they work in conformity with Party programmes and policies and that the results of their research are
submitted to the Central Committee.
Legal Department
87. (a) There shall be a Legal Department of the Party at the National Headquarters which shall be headed by the
Legal Council of the Party.
(b) The Legal Department shall be responsible for all Legal work of the Party and shall represent the Party or
its officials or enterprises.
The Electoral Commission
88. The Electoral Commission shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, and three other members appointed by the
Central Committee.
89. No person shall be appointed as a member of the Electoral Commission if he holds an office or intends to
stand for election to an office in the Party.
90. No person shall stand as a candidate for any Party, Parliamentary or Local Administration elections unless he
or she is a member of the Party.
91. The Central Committee’s approval of the candidacy shall be evidenced by a certificate of approval signed by
the Secretary-General. The decision of the Central Committee in this Regard shall be [mal.
92. After approval, the Central Committee shall send names of the approved candidates to the Electoral
Commission.
Power to Make Regulations
Regulations
92. Regulations and Rules of the Patriotic Front made by the Central Committee shall be submitted to the next
National Council for approval and ratification.
93. Pending the approval and ratification by the National Council, any regulations or rule made by the Central
Committee may be acted upon or enforced in the meanwhile.
35 Party Funds
94. (1) The Party may sponsor schemes or campaigns designed to raise funds.
(2) The Party may impose a levy on its members for any purpose which the Party considers is in the interest of
its aims and objectives.
(3) The Party may accept donations, in cash or kind, from members as well as from non
members.
(4) There shall be paid out of the Party funds for the following expenses; (a)
allowances and salaries of the staff and full-time Party officials; (b)
expenses of meetings and conferences;
(c) Legal fees for litigation when sanctioned by the Central Committee; (d)
audit fees; and
(e) Any other expenditure as shall be approved by the Central Committee.
(5) The Party shall operate a banking account with any commercial bank or banks. A Party Cheque will only
be valid if signed by at least two (2) Central Committee Members or by one MCC and one (1) officer at
Party Headquarters authorized to do so by the Central Committee.
(6) The Central Committee shall convene the General Conference of the Party in accordance with the
provisions of the Party Constitution.
(7) Sufficient notice shall be given to all District Offices starting the time and place of the National Councilor
the General Conference.
(8) Each delegate to the General Conference shall pay delegate’s fee as determined by the Central
Committee from time to time.
Education in the Party
95. The Central Committee may make rules designed to educate members of the Party in matters relating to Party
policies, international affairs and other matters of national interest. For this purpose, the Central Committee
may issue from time to time detailed regulations for the operation of educational and training committees in
each District.
The Central Committee may periodically arrange seminars in Districts and Provinces to strengthen the work of
Provincial and District Committees.
Tours Abroad
96. Whenever possible and provided external travel grants are available the Central Committee may
arrange for leading Party Officials to visit places of interest in foreign countries.
97. (1) All members of the Party are subject to these Regulations and any member who commits an offence against
the Party is liable to disciplinary action as provided in the Rules.
(2) “Offence against the Party” includes the offences contained under Prescribed Rules of the Party.
(3) The punishment for any offence shall be based on the seriousness of the offence which the member has
committed.
(4) The punishment on a disciplinary action will be as contained in Article 20 of the Constitution of the Party.
(5) The National Headquarters records of disciplinary action taken by the Party and the National
Council shall be notified of all such actions.
(6) A member who resigned or was expelled may be re-admitted into the Party if on a petition of penitence by
him the President and! Or the National Council decides to re admit him. The
36 President and/or the National Council may, however reserve such a decision for the General Conference.
Disciplinary Procedure
98. (1) in these Regulations unless the context otherwise provides:
Definitions
‘Appellant’ means a member of the Party wishing to appeal to an appropriate Disciplinary Committee.
‘Appellant Committee’ means and includes any Disciplinary Committee exercising appellate jurisdiction.
‘Disciplinary Committee’ means and includes any Committee responsible for discipline at the following levels:
(a) Section;
(b) Branch;
(c) Ward;
(d) Constituency
(e) District;
(f) Province;
(g) Appointments and Disciplinary Committee; (h)
Central Committee;
(i) National Council; and
G) General Conference.
‘Member’ means a member of the Party
(2) All words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine except where inconsistent with the
context.
Disciplinary Committees
Section
99. (1) There shall be a Section Disciplinary Committee consisting of the Section Chairman and two other
members elected by Section Committee.
Branch
(2) There shall be a Branch Disciplinary Committee composed of the Branch Chairman and four other
members elected by the Branch Committee. The Branch Disciplinary Committee shall be responsible for the
discipline of the Party members within the Branch.
Ward
(3) There shall be a Ward disciplinary Committee consisting of the Ward Chairman and four other members
elected by the Ward Committee. The Ward Disciplinary Committee shall be responsible for discipline of the
members within the Ward and shall hear appeals from Branches within its jurisdiction.
District
(4) (a) There shall be the District Disciplinary Committee consisting of the District Chairman as the Chairman,
the District Political Secretary (Vice-Chairman) and District Executive Secretary (Secretary) and three other
members elected by the District Committee.
(b) The District Disciplinary Committee shall be responsible for discipline of Ward officials
And member within the District and shall hear appeals from Wards within its jurisdiction.
37 Province
(5) (a) There shall be a Provincial Disciplinary Committee which will consist of Members of the Central
Committee for the Province as the Chairman, Provincial Political Secretary as Vice-Chairman, Provincial
Permanent Secretary as Secretary, Three District Chairmen and two District Trustees.
(b) Where there are more than one Provincial Political Secretaries, the first appointed to the
Province shall be the Vice-Chairman.
(c) The Provincial Disciplinary Committee shall be responsible for discipline of Members of
Parliament other than Minister, Deputy Minister and District Chairman and shall hear appeals from member of
the Party within the Province.
Party Headquarters
(6) (a) There shall be a Party Headquarters Disciplinary Committee consisting of a member of the
Appointments and Disciplinary Committee as the Chairman, Administrative Secretary, Women’s
Secretary, Youth Secretary and Legal Council to the Party.
(b) The Party Headquarters Disciplinary Committee shall be responsible for discipline of the members
and staff employed at the National Headquarters. Any appeal from Party Headquarters Disciplinary
Committee will lie with the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee.
Appointment and Disciplinary Committee
(7) (a) there shall be the Appointment and Disciplinary Committee which will consist of ten
Members appointed by the President of the Party from the Party’s Central Committee and National
Council;
(b) The Appointment and Disciplinary Committee shall, in exercise of its original jurisdiction, be
responsible for discipline of Members of the Central Committee, Members Parliament, Provincial
Political Secretaries and Heads of Zambian Missions abroad;
(c) The Appointments and Disciplinary Committee shall, in exercise of its appellate
Jurisdiction, be responsible for discipline of all members of the Party;
(d) Appeals from the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee shall be to the Central Committee.
National Council
(8) The National Council shall hear appeals from decisions of the Central Committee. The National Council
may, in exercise of its appellate jurisdiction, delegate its functions to a Committee consisting of its members.
<InteneraI Conference
(9) The General Conference shall hear appeals from the National Council. The General Conference may, in
the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction, delegate its functions to a Committee consisting of its members.
Disciplinary Procedure
100.Any disciplinary proceedings instituted against a member shall be instituted and determined as herein
provided:
(1) Whenever a Disciplinary Committee institutes disciplinary proceedings against a member, it shall deliver
to the accused member a written statement setting out particulars of the charge or charges and of the grounds
upon which such disciplinary proceedings are instituted together with a notice requiring the accused member
to submit to the Disciplinary Committee within which such a period being not less
38 Than seven days, as the disciplinary Committee shall specify, an exculpatory statement in writing of the
grounds on which the accused member relies to exculpate himself.
(2) Upon the expiry of the period specified in the notice delivered to the accused member under (i) above the
Disciplinary Committee shall consider the exculpatory statement, if any, of the accused member and may:
(a) Exculpate the accused member and inform him accordingly in writing; or
(b) Subject to provisions of the Constitution of the Party, impose such punishment on the accused
member as is proper, having regard to all the circumstances of the case.
(3) If the interests of justice so require the Disciplinary Committee will inform the accused that on a specified
day the charges made against him will be investigated and that he will be allowed to appear before it to
defend himself.
(4) At the hearing, the Disciplinary Committee will ensure that if witnesses are examined by the Committee,
the accused member shall be given an opportunity of putting questions on his own behalf to the witnesses.
(5) The Disciplinary Committee will ensure that no documentary evidence shall be used against the accused
member unless he has previously been supplied with a copy thereof or thereto.
(2) If during the course of the hearing of the case by the Disciplinary Committee against the accused member,
grounds for the preferring of additional charges are disclosed, the Disciplinary Committee may prefer the
charges accordingly.
APPEALS
101.(1) Except in the case of punishment imposed by the Disciplinary Committee of the General Conference from
which there is no appeal, a member of the Party may appeal from one Disciplinary Committee to the other,
that is to say from Section to the Branch, from the Branch to the Ward, from the Ward to the District, from
the District to the Province, from the Province to the Central Committee to the National Council, from the
National Council to the General Conference, against any punishment imposed on him as a result of breach
of the Party discipline as contained in the Constitution.
(2) Every appeal made by a member under this rule shall be in writing and addressed to the appropriate
Disciplinary Committee and shall set out clearly the grounds of appeal, and every such appeal shall be
delivered to the appropriate Disciplinary Committee as aforesaid not later than fourteen days from the
date of the notice of the decision and of the punishment imposed.
(3) The appellant shall submit his appeal through the disciplinary committee from whose decision he is
appealing against.
(4) The appropriate Disciplinary Committee shall, within fourteen days of receiving the notice of appeal and
grounds aforesaid, forward to the next Disciplinary Committee the appeal together with a statement in
answer to the appellant’s submissions and the statement shall include inter alia precise details of events
leading up to the appeal, the subject matter of the decision of the application and the precise statement of
the decision of the Disciplinary Committee giving rise to the appeal supported by any correspondence or
evidence connected with decision.
(5) The appropriate Disciplinary Committee shall at the time of forwarding the details aforesaid send a copy
thereof to the appellant.
(6) The appropriate Chairperson of a Disciplinary Committee may from time to time adjourn the hearing of a
charge or appeal and may extend the time for doing the same.
39 (7) In the event of either party to the appeal failing to comply with the previous of this Prescribed Rules, a
Chairman of a Disciplinary Committee may, notwithstanding such failure, set down the case or appeal for
hearing and upon giving the parties not less than seven days’ written notice, proceed to hear the appeal or
the case and make such decision thereon as it may in the circumstance of the case seem just.
40
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http://www.pf.org.zm/
Which parties have so far held their general conference, because it is clear some have announced their candidates?
No one so far.