Say No to Bill 7: President Hakainde Hichilema Wants to Use It to Prolong His Stay in Power- Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma

Say No to Bill 7: President Hakainde Hichilema Wants to Use It to Prolong His Stay in Power

By Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma

Every well-meaning Zambian must rise and say NO to Bill 7. Our country is on its knees: prices are skyrocketing, families are going hungry, unprecedented hours of load-shedding are crippling daily life, and young people are losing hope. Yet, while ordinary citizens are gasping for economic relief, President Hakainde Hichilema and his inner circle are fixated on amending the Constitution. The urgency with which he is pushing Bill 7 before the 2026 general elections raises one haunting question: what is he afraid of, or what is he planning?

For months, civil society organizations, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), constitutional experts, traditional leaders, and the majority of ordinary Zambians have pleaded for patience and consultation. They have all said the same thing: there is no constitutional crisis in Zambia. But the President has refused to listen. He insists the bill must pass come rain or shine. The question that begs an honest answer is: why the rush?

If Bill 7 is not intended to give the President or the UPND a political advantage in 2026, then why not wait? Why not let the people decide after the elections, when politics are not clouded by self-interest? What possible justification can there be other than fear of losing power?

Let’s be clear: Zambia’s problem is not the Constitution; it’s the economy. Families can’t afford a bag of mealie meal. Bus fares have shot through the roof. Unemployment is breaking spirits across the country. Farmers are still waiting for fertilizer. And small businesses, once the backbone of our nation, are collapsing one by one.

While the people cry for bread, the government offers them a constitutional amendment. While families beg for relief, the President drafts new rules to secure political dominance. This is not reform; it’s manipulation disguised as progress.

What Is Bill 7 Really About?

Bill 7 is a constitutional amendment proposing sweeping changes to Zambia’s political system. Its key features include:

1. Expansion of Parliament: Increasing MPs from 156 to 211, creating more jobs for politicians while ordinary citizens sink deeper into poverty.

2. Reserved Seats and Proportional Representation: Marketed as inclusivity for women and youth, but quietly designed to let party elites appoint loyalists outside traditional elections.

3. Presidential Powers: Retaining clauses that allow the President to dissolve Parliament, a dangerous concentration of power in one individual.

4. Delimitation Exercise: Creating 55 new constituencies, mostly in UPND strongholds, effectively redrawing the political map to ensure dominance in the next Parliament.

These changes are being packaged as reforms for “better representation,” but beneath the political sugarcoating lies the bitter truth: Bill 7 strengthens the hand of the ruling party and weakens the power of the people.

Inside the Strategy

According to the internal strategy document titled UPND Political Strategy: Geopolitical Mapping & Electoral Prospects for 2026, authored by Withus Masunda on September 4, 2025, the plan is clear: expand UPND’s dominance, secure Parliament, and control the 2026 elections before they even happen.

The document details how new constituencies will be created mainly in UPND strongholds, potentially adding up to 20 extra seats in Parliament. It acknowledges the “risk of public backlash” but recommends framing the process as “bringing government closer to the people.” Translation: spin the truth to gain power.

It also highlights how “reserved seats” can be used to enhance the party’s youth and gender image while tightening internal control. And all this while Zambia struggles to pay its bills, feed its citizens, and rebuild an economy gasping for life.

The Real Crisis

This is not just a political issue; it’s a moral one. At a time when citizens are barely surviving, expanding Parliament and amending the Constitution is not just tone-deaf; it’s an insult to the suffering Zambian people.

Zambia’s true emergency is not constitutional; it’s economic, social, and moral. We need affordable food, not new MPs. We need jobs, not proportional representation. We need integrity in leadership, not hidden agendas.

A Cry for Leadership, Not Power

Mr. President, leadership is not about rewriting the rules to secure power. It is about listening, serving, and protecting the will of the people. When the people say “Not now,” a true democrat hears them; he does not silence them. When the people ask for bread, a true leader does not hand them a legal document.

The Constitution is not a personal tool. It belongs to the people. It is their voice, their shield, their heritage, not a political weapon to be reshaped at will.

The People’s Verdict

From the churches to the markets, from villages to cities, the message is clear:

“Fix the economy, not the Constitution.”
“Respect the people’s will.”
“We will not be fooled.”

Bill 7 is not reform; it is regression. It threatens the balance of our democracy, drains public resources, and erodes public trust. Let the will of the people prevail. Let democracy breathe.

A Call to Action

Every Zambian who loves this nation must stand firm. Let your voice be heard. Speak in your communities, your churches, your WhatsApp groups, and your families. Say NO to Bill 7.

Defend Zambia’s democracy.
Protect our Constitution.
Preserve our children’s future.

Because if we allow power to rewrite the rules once, it will never stop. And the Zambia we love—the Zambia of peace, hope, and justice—will be no more.

Say NO to Bill 7.
Say YES to Democracy.
Say YES to Zambia.