Zambian President Michael Sata has threatened to dissolve the country’s parliament, accusing ministers of failing to defend his government from opposition attacks.

The remarks came after Sata's two-year-old administration came under fire for having too many cabinet ministers.

"Why are you not talking? Why are you so quiet?" Sata asked, in a meeting with cabinet ministers on Monday.

"If you are not fit to be what you are let me know so that I can dissolve parliament and we go for a general election."

Zambia’s opposition parties have fiercely criticized the cabinet, accusing Sata of having too many ministers, who are cronies of the president.

Under the Zambian constitution, fresh polls must be held within 90 days if the southern African country's parliament is dissolved.

Sata urged cabinet ministers to respond to allegations from the opposition political parties, especially from the United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema.

"We are pounded left, right and center. Hichilema today is saying that this cabinet is bloated, the other day he said this cabinet is tribal and you people are not replying," he said.

"Who do you think is going to answer for you?" Sata added.

Zambia is scheduled to hold its next general election in 2016.