🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Hichilema Appoints Judges, ECZ Officials Amid Online Backlash
President Hakainde Hichilema has announced a wide-ranging set of judicial and electoral appointments, triggering sharp reactions online as the country moves closer to the 2026 general elections.
According to State House, the President, acting on recommendations from the Judicial Service Commission and in line with Article 140(e) of the Constitution, has appointed new judges across the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court. The appointments are subject to ratification by the National Assembly.
Among those elevated to the Supreme Court are Justice Chalwe Mchenga, Justice Abha Patel, Justice Getrude Chawatama, and Butler Sitali. The Constitutional Court list includes Justice Pixie Yangailo, Justice Vincent Siloka, and Getrude Imbwae, while multiple judges have also been appointed to the Court of Appeal and High Court in what is one of the most extensive judicial reshuffles in recent years.
The President has also appointed Major General Vincent Mukanda (Rtd) as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), alongside Zevyanji Sinkala as Commissioner, pending parliamentary ratification.
While government frames the move as routine and constitutional, sections of the public have reacted critically, with some netizens questioning the timing and suggesting the appointments could influence institutional balance ahead of elections. Others, however, argue that such appointments fall within the President’s mandate and are subject to legislative oversight.
The development places both Parliament and the public spotlight on the ratification process, as scrutiny grows over the composition of key institutions that will play a central role in Zambia’s electoral and judicial landscape.
© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu