Constitution of Zambia (Amendment)
[No. 2 of 2016
13
PART IV
CITIZENSHIP
33. A person who was a citizen of Zambia, immediately before
the commencement of this Constitution, shall continue to be a citizen
of Zambia and shall retain the same citizenship category from the
date the citizenship was acquired.
34.
Citizenship may be acquired by birth, descent, registration
or adoption in accordance with this Part.
35. (1) A person born in Zambia is a citizen by birth if, at the
date of that person’s birth, at least one parent of that person is or
was a citizen.
Existing
citizenship
Categories
of citizenship
Citizenship
by birth
(2) A child found in Zambia who is, or appears to be, of not
more than eight years of age and whose nationality and parents
are not known, shall be presumed to be a citizen by birth.
(3)
For the purposes of this Part, a person born aboard—
(a) a registered ship or aircraft of a country, shall be deemed
to have been born in the country of registration of the
ship or aircraft; or
(b) an unregistered ship or aircraft of a country, shall be
deemed to have been born in that country.
36. A person born outside Zambia is a citizen by descent if, at
the date of that person’s birth, at least one parent of that person is
or was a citizen by birth or descent.
Citizenship
by descent
37. (1) Subject to clause (2), a person is entitled to apply to
the Citizenship Board of Zambia to be registered as a citizen if that
person has attained the age of eighteen years and—
Citizenship
by
registration
(a) was born in Zambia and has been ordinarily resident in
Zambia for a period of at least five years;
(b) was born outside Zambia, has or had an ancestor who is,
or was, a citizen and has been ordinarily resident in
Zambia for a period of at least five years; or
(c) has been ordinarily resident in Zambia for a continuous
period of at least ten years;
immediately preceding that person’s application for registration, as
prescribed.