STOP HICHILEMA…from taking Zambia back to autocracy, through UPND arbitrary schemes to alter our Constitution only to suit their agenda – Lungu

STOP HICHILEMA
…from taking Zambia back to autocracy, through UPND arbitrary schemes to alter our Constitution only to suit their agenda – Lungu

By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)

I FIND it politically selfish and evil for President Hakainde Hichilema to secretly initiate constitutional reforms to suit only his personal political interests against what the majority believe in, says former president Edgar Lungu.

In a statement yesterday, Lungu said he heard that there are political schemes by the UPND government aimed at altering the country’s Constitution.

He said what was further disturbing was to learn that part of this planned arbitrary constitutional amendment may move the country from the 50 per cent plus one (50+1) back to old “first past the post” in terms of electoral winning parameters for the future president.

Lungu recalled that this has been previously frowned upon across the country.

“To start with, we all know that the 50 per cent plus one was introduced in 2016 under my leadership just months after I assumed office following the demise of president Michael Sata. Following decades of using the First Past the Post, Zambians vowed not to be ruled by a minority president and collectively and unanimously, through different constitutional commissions, demanded the introduction of the 50 per cent plus 1 presidential winning threshold. The opposition led by the UPND were equally screaming on mountain tops demanding for a popular president under the 50 per cent + one framework,” he said. “It is important to stress that in 2016, as president of Zambia, even when it did not favour me, I was the first sovereign leader to actualise and fulfil this motherland dream in the history of this country. I honoured the wishes of the majority Zambians to legally validate 50 per cent + one. The same applies to the law on the running mate clause for a vice-president. All these constitutional changes were citizen-driven, and not political reforms driven by a few political elites in power.”

Lungu recalled that in 2016, he was the “legacy President” that signed for comprehensive constitutional reforms and “this is on record”.

He said even though such gigantic reforms were against his personal interests as sitting president, the principles of national interest and public service compelled him to sign for a new constitution because it marked a key step to democratic growth, inclusive governance and political stability for Zambia.

“I therefore find it politically selfish and evil for President Hichilema to secretly initiate constitutional reforms to suit only his personal political interests against what the majority believe in. In all functional democracies, constitutional reforms are always people-driven and not arbitrary ruling party-driven like the UPND is scheming,” Lungu said.

He challenged the UPND to embark on nationwide stakeholders’ consultations and engagements with a clear roadmap on when they desire to start and end the process if they want to reform the Constitution.

He said the UPND should constitute a task force or commission for such a national assignment and attain national consensus.

“This purported secret intention to alter our Republican Constitution using the State House and parliament is a mark of bad political motives, democratic backsliding, and is against the interests of Zambians and the spirit of statehood and democracy. It is a clear path to creating an autocracy where one person can become president by simply winning 20 per cent or 35 per cent of the total votes among many competitors with less,” he said. “Zambians must denounce and oppose any attempts to bring back illegitimate presidents who can win and rule with minority votes. In 2016, Zambians outlawed this minority president governance framework. Overall, this scheme is an illegal and immoral act of creating political instability and anarchy in a country that has moved to inclusive governance, democratic consolidation and political stability with the 50 per cent plus one presidential winning threshold.”

Lungu said Zambia is currently a leader of democratic institutions and good constitutionalism in the region because, “in the past, we had responsible governments that prioritised the national good and not the individual good style of ruler-ship this UPND government is speedily reintroducing with arbitrariness, arrogance, malice and tyranny.”

He called on Zambians to stand up and oppose any arbitrary attempts to defile and rape the Constitution by anyone.

“Today, I am appealing to civil society, church, opposition parties, scholars, youth, chiefs, women, students, trade unions, and all well-meaning stakeholders to oppose and stop President Hichilema from taking Zambia back to autocracy and tyranny through these UPND arbitrary schemes to alter our Constitution only to suit their agenda. The supreme law of the land is not a personal or family document of President Hichilema or a party manifesto of the UPND. We are talking about a sovereign statute and a national supreme charter of who we are as Zambians and how we desire to be governed as a people, nation, republic, country and state,” he said. “As we celebrate 60 years of independence this year, all Zambians desire to hear good news on political, economic, and social progress in their country rather than being reminded of the horrors of oppression, political discrimination, and marginalisation by those who govern them.”

He said people continue to pray and fight for democratic consolidation today and not rewinding them in reverse to democratic backslide “as we are witnessing each day under the new dawn.”

Meanwhile, Lungu said the country has endemic poverty.

“…youth unemployment, high mealie meal prices, crippling load shedding, high fuel costs and historic starvation of our people to prioritise and concentrate on instead of arbitrary raping the republican Constitution. These evil schemes must be condemned collectively and stopped by all,” said Lungu.