HICHILEMA FEARS LUNGU’S POLITICAL COME BACK
…as Sishuwa says President Hichilema has committed economic genocide against vendors he removed from the streets
By Fox Reporter
THE UPND are fearful of political comeback of former president Edgar Lungu because that will undermine President Hakainde Hichilema’s bid to win the 2026 general elections, Human Rights Activist Sishuwa Sishuwa has charged.
And President Hichilema has committed economic genocide against the poor people whose lives depended more on street vending by removing them out of the street without giving them a place to trade from.
Featuring on Hot Red Breakfast Show on Hot fm this morning, Dr. Sishuwa a Historian lecturer in South Africa said President Hichilema was having sleepless nights because he was scared of former president Lungu.
“That is why you see these court action now because they are afraid of that possibility of Lungu coming back into politics. UPND devised this strategy at a three-plan level, the first level was the appointment of judges at the Constitutional Court to beef up the numbers in support of the UPND and in April this year we saw President Hichilema fulfilling this plan by appointing four more judges in the constitutional Court. The second stage was to prepare the mind of Zambians that the previous ruling in the eligibility of President Lungu was not final and that it is possible to have a new challenge which will overrule the old ruling and possibly remove Lungu completely from participating in any election in the country,” he said.
He further explained that the UPND will not allow former president Lungu contest the 2026 election no matter what happens.
“And by September this year we saw the Minister of Justice Mulambe Haimbe, fulfilling that statement by telling a local tabloid that sooner than later Zambians will ask for a decisive answer to that question of eligibility. The latest court action you have seen only confirms what Haimbe said that they will find someone to put across that petition and that one is acting on behalf of the UPND. Currently, there are 11 judges on the Constitutional Court, and if UPND is to secure a favorable decision they need six judges to deliver a ruling that Haimbe calls the correct one. If you remember in 2021, nine judges sat and delivered a judgment in that matter, and of those nine who were appointed by the former President, 8 ruled that Lungu was eligible and justice Munalula is the only one who dissented. And out of the 8 who ruled in favour of Lungu, one has died and one was retired and about six are in favour of that judgement and this year HH appointed four new judges, I think there is Kenneth Mulife, Mudson Mwandenga, Anord Chilimi and Maria Kawimbe and by going their logic using arrogant of numbers these four are expected to rule in favour of the UPND.
And if they are joined by Justice Magrete Munalula, they will bring the number to five and even if it is to base the judgement on the 2021 ruling, they will still have to sit, will the six go against the judgement they made in 2021? And if they did that, what will be the interpretation of their conduct by the people of Zambia and many others? Their decision will only confirm how much interference is at the Constitutional Court. Any judgment in favour of the UPND in this matter will completely destroy and damage whichever is remaining in the constitutional court., how could the same judges rule against their own ruling two year past? Even if the UPND lost at court they will still come up with an amendment bill which will stop Lungu at all cost from contesting the election in 2026, this is a known fact seeing how fearful our colleagues are in the UPND. They are preoccupied with this phobia of Lungu and even if they allowed his to stand, I can’t see Lungu winning, but the UPND are so scared of Lungu and they will not rest until they see him bared by the law from standing and the other person, they are afraid of is Fred M’membe of the Socialist Party,” he said.
And Dr. Sishuwa said the biggest Challenge President Hichilema has to deal with is committing economic genocide against Zambians who were trading on the streets across the country.
He said ever since vendors were removed from the streets; poverty has grown to unprecedented levels.
Dr. Sishuwa said the major weakness that might lead to President Hichilema losing power in 2026 is failure to change and listen to the cries of the people of Zambia.
“The major weakness that may lead to HH losing power in 2026 if he doesn’t change. Those black people around him who work with him say the President cannot listen to anyone local advising him. He listens to people far away from North America and Americans. President Hichilema needs to fight corruption in his administration and this interference of State House should come to an end. The high cost of living is also something that will; make Hichilema lose power in 2026. President Hichilema leadership prioritizes foreigners at the expense of poor Zambians, and Zambians can see that on their own. The removal of street vendors has affected many people in so many ways, people can’t meet their daily basic needs. People have been parked in compounds, they can’t sell, wheel borrow pushers can’t work anymore because they have parked their wheelbarrows. This President has committed economic genocide by removing street vendors from the streets, he is killing poor people who now have nothing to do. Landlords are evicting people every day because they can’t pay rentals,” said Dr. Sishuwa.