SP QUESTIONS HICHILEMA ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
…as Mwila expresses concerns over the absence of provisions that would hold leaders accountable when they fail to fulfill their campaign promises
Lusaka… Thursday March 27, 2025
The Socialist Party (SP) has questioned President Hakainde Hichilema’s commitment to accountability in the ongoing push for constitutional amendments.
Speaking on the matter, party Chairperson for Legal Affairs Simon Mulenga Mwila, expressed concerns over the absence of provisions that would hold leaders accountable when they fail to fulfill their campaign promises.
Mr. Mwila argued that if the constitutional amendments were genuinely designed to serve the interests of the Zambian people, they should include clauses compelling leaders to step down when they fall short of delivering on their commitments.
He questioned why such critical accountability measures were omitted from the proposed changes.
The Socialist Party leader listed several specific campaign promises that, in his view, should warrant resignation if left unfulfilled.
These included lowering the dollar exchange rate, reducing the price of a 25kg bag of mealie meal to K50, and cutting fertilizer prices to K250 as previously pledged.
He also highlighted the need to end load shedding, lower the cost of living, and stop excessive foreign travel by government officials.
“Mr. President, Why Didn’t You Include These in Your Amendments: If you fail to deliver on your campaign promises, you must step down. If you fail to reduce the dollar exchange rate by 14:00 as promised, you must step down. If you fail to bring the price of a 25kg bag of mealie meal down to K50, you must step down,” Mr Mwila asked.
“If you fail to reduce fertilizer prices to K250 as per promise, you must step down. If you fail to end load shedding as per campaign, you must step down. If you fail to lower the cost of living, you must step down.”
Other key demands from the Socialist Party included putting an end to police brutality, preventing the misuse of law enforcement for political intimidation, and fighting corruption in fuel procurement.
Mr. Mwila also criticized the government’s borrowing practices, urging the administration to avoid reckless dependence on the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In addition, the party expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as a pattern of “making speeches instead of delivering results.”
They argued that political intimidation, unfulfilled economic revival promises, and failure to address violence by political cadres were undermining public confidence in the government.
The statement further criticized President Hichilema for continuing to reside in Chalala instead of moving to State House, suggesting that this practice resulted in fuel wastage and posed safety risks due to high-speed motorcades.
Mr. Mwila emphasized that if leaders mislead the public with campaign promises, they should be compelled to step down.
He maintained that true accountability was essential for strengthening democracy and restoring trust in governance.