Report on Citizenship Law: Zambia 4. Current political debates and reform plans During consultations leading up to the enactment of the Citizenship of Zambia Act, 2016 some concerns were raised. 4.1 Concerns regarding the abuse of the entitlement to citizenship by marriage First, the provision that a person married to a Zambian for at least five years was met with some views suggesting that it could potentially be abused by people entering into arranged marriages and a suggestion that the period should instead be extended to ten years.143 This concern was shared by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs considering the bill which later became the Citizenship of Zambia Act, 2016. The committee shared this concern and recommended a revision of the Constitution to increase the minimum period to ten years.144 4.2 Concerns regarding the abuse of the entitlement to citizenship by adoption Second, some submissions were made to the effect that in an application for citizenship by adoption, the Citizenship Board of Zambia ought to consider the child’s background in exercising discretion on whether or not to register the child as a citizen by adoption to prevent ‘foul play.’145 The concern of these submissions was that people obtaining citizenship by registration seeking to adopt their own children and relatives for purposes of granting them an entitlement for citizenship. The concern arises in the context of people who acquire citizenship by naturalisation who may have children or relatives ordinarily resident in other countries. Since such children or relatives do not automatically become Zambian citizens, the concern is that the naturalised Zambian citizen may use adoption as a means of transmitting Zambian citizenship to their children or relative. The Parliamentary Committee agreed with this concern and recommended that the Citizenship Board of Zambia consider the child’s background and particularly their relationship with the adopting parent.146 These concerns have not yet been reflected in legislation. They are likely, however, to shape future changes in Zambia’s citizenship laws. Computing time regarding the entitlement for eligibility to register as a citizen under the category of residence in Zambia for ten years. 143 National Assembly of the Republic of Zambia, Report of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs on the Citizenship of Zambia Bill, N.A.B. no. 33 of 2016, for The Fifth Session of The Eleventh National Assembly, appointed on 24th September 2015, p. 11. Available from http://www.parliament.gov.zm/sites/default/files/documents/committee_reports/REPORT%20%20ON%20THE %20CITIZENSHIP%20OF%20ZAMBIA%20BILL%2C%20NO.%2033%20OF%202016_0.pdf (Accessed 23 September 2020). 144 Ibid p. 12 145 Ibid p. 11 146 Ibid, p. 12 RSCAS/GLOBALCIT-CR 2020/14 - © 2020 Author(s) 21