CLERGYMAN URGES PRESIDENT HICHILEMA TO RESIST CALLS TO REMOVE PRESIDENTIAL TERM LIMIT
A clergyman and social commentator, Maxwell Luchile, has publicly urged President Hakainde Hichilema to reject any calls to remove the constitutional limit on presidential terms.
In a statement circulating on social media, Luchile said he had voted for President Hichilema in both the 2021 and 2026 elections, despite never having personally met or shaken hands with the President.
Luchile said his support for the President did not prevent him from speaking out on matters he believes affect the country’s constitutional order.
He expressed concern over calls to remove presidential term limits, particularly following comments attributed to some members of Parliament advocating changes to the existing framework.
According to Luchile, Zambia’s Constitution currently provides that a person who has twice held office as President is not eligible for election as President. Article 106(3) contains this two-term restriction.
He further argued that Zambia has historically witnessed resistance to attempts to alter presidential term limits and cited the eligibility dispute involving former President Edgar Lungu as an example of the importance of constitutional provisions.
Luchile also warned against what he described as the danger of concentrating political power around individuals, urging President Hichilema to focus on strengthening institutions and systems.
> “Let’s invest in good systems instead of personalities,” Luchile wrote
He also appealed to the President to use his current mandate to prepare and support future leadership rather than allowing discussions about extending presidential tenure to dominate the political landscape.
His comments come amid continued public discussion about constitutional reforms in Zambia. The Electoral Reform Technical Committee recommended in 2025 that the existing two five-year presidential terms be retained.
The National Assembly’s records also show that the 2025 constitutional amendment process focused on several electoral and institutional changes, including parliamentary representation and electoral systems; the official objects of the Bill did not propose removing the presidential two-term limit.
Luchile’s statement is therefore adding to the wider national debate over constitutional safeguards, presidential tenure and the balance between political leadership and strong institutions.**