WE SHOULD BE WORRIED THAT HH HAS NO SUCCESSOR SAYS KATUTA.
Rev. Dr. Given Katuta Mwelwa has raised concerns over what she describes as UPND’s failure to develop a clear succession plan, arguing that the party has remained heavily dependent on President Hakainde Hichilema’s leadership for nearly two decades.
In a statement to Zambian Watch, Rev. Dr. Katuta said UPND had been built around one individual since 2006, warning that the absence of a visible successor should be a matter of concern for both the party and the country.
She argued that calls for the removal of presidential term limits could be linked to concerns about the party’s ability to identify another leader capable of taking over from President Hichilema.
“Since 2006, UPND has been built around one man. That is not an insult, it is a fact,” she said.
Rev. Dr. Katuta urged UPND supporters to recognise that Zambia has many capable men and women who can lead, cautioning against confusing the party’s succession challenges with a shortage of leadership talent in the country.
She further argued that a political party that has failed to establish a clear succession pathway over a period of 20 years should not allow its internal leadership challenges to become a matter of national interest.
Her remarks have brought renewed attention to questions surrounding leadership transition, internal democracy and the future of UPND beyond President Hichilema. Zambian Watch