IF HH STANDS AND LOSES IN 2031, THE REPERCUSSIONS WILL BE ON ALL FROM ZAMBEZI REGION, SAYS MASHEKE
If the Republican Constitution is changed and President Hakainde Hichilema stands and loses in 2031, the repercussions will not just be on his family and the Tonga tribe but the entire Zambezi Region, says staunch UPND member Akashambatwa Masheke.
And Masheke has urged President Hichilema to “shut down” the debate around the removal of Presidential term limits so that the country can fully focus on the “Grow Zambia Agenda.
The country has been embroiled in an unexpected debate with top members and surrogates of the ruling UPND pushing an aggressive agenda to amend the Republic Constitution by removing the restriction on a President to serve only two term limits of five years each.
On September 1, 2026, President Hichilema was sworn in for his second and final term in office which makes him not eligible to contest the 2031 general election.
By removing the two-term term limits, President Hichilema will automatically become eligible to stand again in 2031.
But Masheke, the United States-based, has side-stepped what appears to be a growing position within the ruling party which is being hostilely and unequivocally agitated by UPND MPs nominated to Parliament via the Proportional Representation route who have gone to an extent of asking for the country to abandon democracy to allow President Hichilema till 2090.
Masheke, who has offered what appears to be some sober injection into the debate, says the two-term limits need to be respected.
“If you change the Constitution and remove the term limits and President Hakainde Hichilema, for some reason, decides to stand and he loses those elections in 2031, I cannot guarantee that the repercussions on not just him as a President and his family, on all of us from the Zambezi region will be far worse than you can imagine,” Masheke said in a Facebook live widely shared. https://web.facebook.com/share/v/1FTYN87aT6/.
Masheke said President Hichilema in 2031 will be the father of the nation whoever the UPND field as presidential candidate is going to win on the strength of the ruling party’s record.
He also warned of the consequences of removing term limits in case the country elects an “evil leader.”
“What happens to the country if you get someone who is literally evil and there are no term limits; you get an evil person as President; if you get an evil President in power and there are no term limits, let me tell you what… you guys are playing with fire,” he said.
He cautioned UPND cadres championing the removal of presidential term limits not to be “excited” and the machinations will “backfire on you real bad” – in a way worse than what former ruling Patriotic Front is going through today.
“If you continue doing what you are doing, this will backfire on you 10 times. I know Zambian people very well,” he observed.
Masheke said in the current composition of Parliament, UPND has the “arrogance of numbers” and if the party wants to change the constitution through Parliament, it can do it.
“You can do anything you want to the Constitution, but do not underestimate the Zambian people. They’ll show you who they are,” he said and expressly referred to the disastrous ending for two former presidents – late Frederick Chiluba and late Edgar Lungu who unsuccessfully pursued third terms in office.
“The people will have the final say,” Masheke said.
Masheke urged President Hichilema to halt the removal of term limits debate to allow the country focus on the Grow Zambia Agenda, a hallmark of his second term which anchors the transition from economic stabilization to growth:
“President, I campaigned for you; I fundraised for you to win a second term. Please, please shut down the term limit debate. Control these excited cadres and our media director [Mark Simuuwe]. What they’re doing will ruin your legacy. What Mark Simuuwe and these MPs in Parliament are doing will ruin your legacy,” Masheke said.
“If this goes through, and it has the possibility of going through, President Hakainde, your legacy will be ruined. You already have too many enemies, your excellence. Mark Simuuwe knows he has so many enemies inside UPND and outside UPND. I am just advising you,” Masheke said.
“Let me warn you of the danger: President Hakainde is a template; he’s an example of beating all odds to become President of Zambia. Someone somewhere said Tongas will never rule this country. Someone somewhere said a Tonga will never be President in Zambia. That’s what they said. I have been one of the most fervent defenders of my cousins – the Tonga and the people of the Bantu Botatwe,” Masheke said. “We proved that you cannot deny someone to stand and become President because he’s Tonga, because he’s Lozi; because he’s Tumbuka, because he’s Chewa… The danger you’re putting the country against certain segments of our population based on ethnic background and tribal groupings. Was there a campaign against him [Hichilema] standing, based on him as a Tonga? It’s on record.”
Masheke also cautioned the UPND not to be carried away by the trappings of power.
“Today you’re in power; you’re enjoying power. Everyone goes through the same thing. When you’re in power, power is sweet. You start enjoying the power, you enjoy the protection of the State; you enjoy the State apparatus. The Police salute you; you think the Army is on your side and you think the Intelligence is on your side. Everyone who comes to power does that. You’re enjoying what we call incumbency,” said Masheke.
“Every incumbent thinks they are the Almighty because we have soldiers, you have the police, you have the intelligence; you have the money, you control the Ministry of Finance… so you think you’re indispensable. You’re not! We as UPND, we’re not indispensable and if you go ahead with the removal of term limits, you’ll regret it and I will be back here on this App and tell you that; “didn’t I tell you that this is what will happen? You who are supporting the removal of term limits will run away from this country.” The same things we are telling you is what we told the PF.
You don’t understand the deep-seated hate for President Hakainde Hichilema; you don’t know. Until that man lives power, then you will find out. You’ll find out how many people actually dislike him. Say whatever you want to say, we’ll back on this App and I will come back and say, didn’t I tell you? Listen my friends, my people from UPND, this is not worth it.
You’re making a huge mistake. Mark Simuuwe might enjoy the incumbency, the protection he’s getting today, but it might not be there forever. Umuntu, life yakwe niku kutwi [The life of a person who is obedient lasts longer].
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