Abstract

This book is a product of a research that was designed to determine the public's perception of the role and functions of politicians both inside and outside parliament. The research was also designed to assess the perception of the public with regard to their perceptions and expectations of politicians and Members of Parliament in parliament. The aims of the study were to contribute to the achievement of parliament's constitutional role on behalf of citizens of Zambia, to identify issues that negatively affected citizens' perceptions of politicians within and outside parliament, and the effect of those perceptions on the standing and reputation of parliament, to identify parliamentary processes and procedures which have adversely affected citizens' perceptions of politicians within and outside parliament, and to make recommendations on what reforms should be effected to protect and enhance the standing and reputation of parliament. On the basis of the four above aims , the objectives of the research were to assess the role of parliament and its reputation and standing in Zambia's political history, to assess the impact of various constitutional developments controversial and less acceptable thereby undermining the credibility of parliament and parliamentarians, and to examine what caused the failure of liberal democracy during the period 1991 to 2001.

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