Zambia
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- August 1991, amended by Parliament on January 5, 2016 (a constitutional referendum was held on August 11, 2016, but participation was 44%, below the 50% threshold required)
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- is based on common law and customary law; review of legislative acts by an ad hoc constitutional council
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, National Assembly
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court, High Court
RELIGIONS
50-75% Christians, 24-49% Muslims and Hindus, 1% indigenous beliefs
From the country
- APRIL 6, 2025ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA COMMITTED TO IRREVERSIBLE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY FOR ALL CRIMES
The Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR entered into force for Zambia on 19 March 2025, three months after date of deposition of the accession instruments.
FEBRUARY 12, 2023ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: PRESIDENT HICHILEMA COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES FOR 390 INMATES TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has commuted 390 death sentences to life imprisonment, six weeks after he abolished capital punishment, a cabinet minister said on 8 February 2023.
JANUARY 17, 2023ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY ON WOMAN WHO SET LOVER ABLAZE
A Zambian appeals court has upheld a death penalty imposed on a woman of Ndola who burnt her former boyfriend with petrol resulting in his death a few days later after he ended their relationship, Zambia Daily Mail reported on 17 January 2023.
- DECEMBER 26, 2022ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA ABOLISHES DEATH PENALTY
Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema on 23 December 2022 assented to Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2022, abolishing the law of the death penalty in Zambia.
- OCTOBER 12, 2022ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA BEGINS PROCESS OF ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
Zambia on 10 October 2022 announced that its Cabinet had approved a review of the penal and criminal procedure codes to abolish the death penalty.
- MAY 25, 2022ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA: PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES 'BIG DECISION' TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on 24 May 2022 announced he is making moves to abolish the death penalty in the country.
APRIL 28, 2022ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: TWO POLICE OFFICERS TO BE HANGED FOR KILLING SUSPECT IN CUSTODY
Zambia High Court has sentenced two police officers to death by hanging for killing a suspect in custody, Zambia Daily Mail reported on 12 April 2022.
JUNE 9, 2021ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: HIGH COURT SENTENCES TEACHER WHO SHOT DEAD HIS EX-WIFE TO DEATH
The Lusaka High Court has sentenced Kenneth Makina, a teacher, to death by hanging for the murder of his ex-wife Charity Jikubi, The Mast reported on 9 June 2021.
MAY 24, 2021ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR DEFILING AND KILLING OWN DAUGHTER
A 33-year-old man of Chipili district who allegedly defiled and murdered his three-day old daughter was sentenced to death on 21 May 2021.
MAY 13, 2021ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE ON LUWINGU MAN
The Supreme Court of Zambia has upheld a death sentence slapped on a man of Mporokoso who was convicted of robbing a family of money, the Daily Mail reported on 13 May 2021.
MAY 12, 2021ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: CHIPATA HIGH COURT SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH
The Chipata High Court has sentenced three people to death by hanging, in two different cases, the Mast reported on 12 May 2021.
MAY 4, 2021ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: POLICE OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A police officer on 4 May 2021 was sentenced to death by hanging for shooting dead a Zambia Air Force employee at Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) offices in Chipata in 2019.