LONGWE URGES SP KABWATA LEADERSHIP TO CLOSE RANKS, RESIST UPND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Lusaka… Monday April 28, 2025 – Socialist Party (SP) Member of the Central Committee in charge of membership recruitment, Horace Longwe, has urged the Kabwata Constituency leadership to embrace teamwork in their mobilisation efforts and to stand firm against the UPND’s proposed constitutional amendments.
Speaking when he met SP constituency leaders at Kamulanga Ward today, Longwe said it was only through unity and coordinated mobilisation that the party could build sufficient grassroots resistance to undemocratic reforms by the ruling party.
“We must work together if we are to mobilise effectively. By engaging residents in all five wards of Kabwata, we can build a strong movement to defend democracy and reject constitutional changes that do not reflect the will of the people,” Mr Longwe said.
He stressed that the role of the constituency executive was not merely administrative but was central to shaping political outcomes on the ground.
And speaking at the same meeting, fellow Central Committee member Joseph Chibanga called for a robust mobilisation drive across Kabwata.
He urged the local leadership to heighten political activities, raise awareness of the implications of the proposed amendments, and collaborate with other opposition forces to counter maneuvers by the UPND to prolong its hold on power.
“Our leadership at national level is committed to resisting these illegal and undemocratic proposals,” Mr Chibanga said. “We expect you at constituency level to match that commitment and join the fight.”
Mr Chibanga warned that failure to mobilise now would embolden the ruling party and set a dangerous precedent for the country’s democracy.
Also in attendance were Central Committee members Fletcher Kalobwe and Marian Mwango, who echoed calls for intensified grassroots engagement and vigilance.
The Socialist Party has maintained a strong stance against the UPND’s proposed constitutional changes, arguing that they are designed to weaken democratic institutions and entrench political power.
Question: It is said that this raft of amendments is no different than the infamous Bill 10 under the previous regime. Yet, the proponents of Bill 10 then are vehemently opposed to this amendment effort. Could it then be that these erstwhile supporters actually knew the evil intent in their actions at the time? Educate us please.