PRESIDENT HICHILEMA’S PUSH FOR URGENT CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE SPARKS CRITICISM
…what is he afraid of now that he can’t wait for 2026 to pass before we can attend to this matter as guided by the Catholic Bishops? Asks Dr M’membe
Lusaka… Thursday March 13, 2025
Socialist Party (SP) leader Dr Fred M’membe has strongly criticized President Hakainde Hichilema’s continued efforts to amend the Zambian Constitution, questioning the urgency and motives behind the initiative.
In a statement, Dr M’membe expressed concern that this was the second time President Hichilema had used a women’s gathering to advocate for constitutional changes.
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He recalled that a similar appeal had been made last year during the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
Dr M’membe argued that many citizens were puzzled by the President’s insistence on making constitutional amendments before 2026.
He questioned why Mr. Hichilema was in such a hurry, suggesting that if Zambians had not collectively agreed to these changes, then the President must clarify with whom he had reached an agreement.
He further challenged Mr. Hichilema to reveal whether a referendum had been conducted to gauge public support.
The opposition leader accused the President of being manipulative and urged him to learn from past constitutional review processes.
He warned that pushing forward with such an agenda without national consensus would lead to failure.
Dr M’membe emphasized that Zambia faced more pressing challenges that required urgent attention, including the high cost of living, tribalism, nepotism, a weakening economy, and poor healthcare and social services.
He urged the President to shift his focus toward resolving these issues rather than prioritizing constitutional amendments.
Dr M’membe underscored that the suffering of Zambians had worsened under President Hichilema’s leadership, which he attributed to poor governance and misplaced priorities.
He called on the President to abandon what he described as a “patronizing and deceptive agenda” regarding the Constitution, warning that it would not yield any meaningful results.