A LEADERSHIP CRISIS, NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
President Hakainde Hichilema’s continued refusal to relocate to State House is more than a symbolic gesture it reflects a fundamental failure to fully assume the responsibilities of Head of State. It is a clear indication of both his mens rea (guilty intent) and actus reus (guilty act) in undermining the very Constitution he wants to amendment.
To the NGOs and students being paraded to endorse this unlawful constitutional amendment you are complicit in a national embarrassment.
You have allowed yourselves to be used as pawns in a scheme crafted from a private residence, designed not for national interest, but to satisfy one man’s hunger for absolute power.
Every well meaning Zambian sees through this smokescreen. This so called constitutional amendment was not born of national consensus.
It is a selfish, secretive, and dangerous attempt to twist the Constitution into a personal tool of control. It is not about reform it is about reinforcing one individual’s grip on power.
To Mr Milupi and those celebrating a two-thirds majority in Parliament, let me remind you, representation is not submission. UPND MPs are not elected to serve as a rubber stamp. Zambia is a democracy not a monarchy.
Parliament must never be reduced to a conveyor belt for a draconian agenda. You cannot bulldoze the will of the people and expect silence.
This is not a constitutional crisis bane it is a leadership crisis we are grappling with. What our country desperately needs is not backroom amendments from a lounge in New Kasama, but bold leadership focused on lowering the cost of living, reviving the economy, and empowering ordinary citizens.
Those promoting this amendment under the guise of inclusion must be challenged. Show us the specific provisions in the current Constitution that prevent women, youths, or persons with disabilities from participating in politics.
In fact, the 2021 nomination fees clearly show deliberate affirmative action:
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION FEES:
Male: K95,000
Female: K75,000
Youth: K60,000
Persons with Disabilities: K60,000
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT:
Male: K15,000
Female: K13,000
Youth: K10,000
Persons with Disabilities: K10,000
MAYORAL:
Male: K15,000
Female: K13,000
Youth: K10,000
Persons with Disabilities: K10,000
COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON:
Male: K3,500
Female: K3,000
Youth: K2,500
Persons with Disabilities: K2,500
COUNCILLORS:
Male: K1,500
Female: K1,000
Youth: K1,000
Persons with Disabilities: K1,000
These figures reflect a deliberate and commendable policy to encourage broader participation in politics. So what barriers, exactly, is this amendment seeking to remove?None.
This is not about inclusivity it is about one individual’s desire to bend our democracy to his will.
To all patriotic Zambians, the time to rise is now. Reject this blatant attempt at constitutional manipulation.
Defending our Constitution is not just a legal obligation it is a patriotic duty. Let us not allow our democracy to be hijacked by those who cloak personal ambition in the language of reform.
Zambia does not belong to one man and his inner circle. It belongs to all of us. Let us remind them, in no uncertain terms, that power lies with the people.
Abraham Simpamba
Together We Can
Ichalo Bantu!