UPND TO ABOLISH 50+1 AMENDMENT – EDGAR LUNGU

Fellow Citizens,

Last week, I heard that there are political schemes aimed at altering our country’s constitution by the UPND government.

What is further disturbing is to learn that part of this planned arbitrary constitutional amendment may move us from the 50% plus one (50+1) back to old ´First Past the Post´ in terms of electoral winning parameters for the future President of Zambia. This has been previously frowned upon across the country.

To start with, we all know that the 50% plus 1 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% 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% +1 framework.

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 actualize and fulfil this motherland dream in the history of this country. I honoured the wishes of majority Zambians to legally validate 50%+1. 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.

In 2016, I was the legacy President that signed for comprehensive constitutional reforms and this is on record. Even though such gigantic reforms were against my personal interests as sitting president, the principles of national interest and public service compelled me 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. If the UPND wants to reform our constitution, I challenge them to embark on nationwide stakeholders’ consultations and engagements with a clear roadmap on when they desire to start and end the process. Let them 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 State House and Parliament is a mark of bad political motives, democratic backslide, 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% or 35% of the total votes among many competitors with less.

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% plus one presidential winning threshold.

Today, Zambia is a leader of democratic institutions and good constitutionalism in the region because, in the past, we had responsible governments that prioritized the “national good” and not the “individual good” style of rulership this UPND government is speedily re-introducing with arbitrariness, arrogance, malice and tyranny.

Therefore, I am calling upon Zambians to stand up and oppose any arbitrary attempts to defile and rape their republican 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.

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 marginalization by those who govern them.
Across the republic, our 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.

We have endemic poverty, youth unemployment, high mealie meal prices, crippling load shedding, high fuel costs and historic starvation of our people to prioritize and concentrate on instead of arbitrary raping the republican constitution. These evil schemes must be condemned collectively and stopped by all!

May God Bless Zambia.

H.E Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Sixth President of Zambia
UKA Alliance Member.