Why Is HH So Desperate to Pass Bill 7 That Three MPs Are Set to Lose Their Seats Through Trumped-Up Convictions?
By Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma
Information reaching me from a UPND government official, whose name I am withholding for security reasons, alleges that President Hakainde Hichilema is orchestrating a plan to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass Bill 7. According to the source, the President has allegedly directed two magistrates to convict Binwell Mpundu and the Chiengi MP before December, and has also allegedly asked Speaker Nellie Mutti to declare Tasila Lungu’s seat vacant.
These are serious allegations that, if true, represent a direct threat to the independence of Parliament and the judiciary. They suggest an attempt to manipulate institutions designed to uphold democracy for narrow political gain.
The Stakes Are High
Bill 7 requires a two-thirds majority, a threshold the ruling party cannot easily achieve without full compliance from its members and the cooperation of independent voices. The alleged plan—targeting opposition MPs and manipulating parliamentary seats—raises fears that the legislative process could be subverted through intimidation and procedural abuse rather than through genuine debate and consensus.
Implications for Democracy
Even as allegations, these claims underscore a critical truth: Zambia’s democracy relies on independent institutions, fair processes, and the ability of MPs to act without fear. Any attempt to use the courts or the Speaker’s office to engineer outcomes undermines public trust and sets a dangerous precedent for governance in the future.
Call to Action
I call upon the judiciary, particularly Chief Justice Mumba Malila, not to destroy his reputation by permitting the ongoing politicisation of the judicial system. I also specifically implore presiding magistrates and High Court judges to resist being abused by politicians in the executive. Politicians come and go, but the integrity of the judiciary must remain intact.
There are several examples of judges of the superior courts who aligned themselves with partisan causes and whose careers ended ingloriously after a change of government. Magistrate David Simusamba, High Court Judge Wilfred Muma, and Constitutional Court Justices Annie Sitali, Mungeni Mulenga, and Palan Mulonda are the most recent high-profile examples of judges who exited the judiciary owing to questionable conduct under the previous administration.
I particularly wish to sound a warning to the following Lusaka-based regime-friendly magistrates whose conduct the public is closely watching:
Magistrate Davies Chibwili
Magistrate Webster Milumbe
Magistrate Idah Phiri Mupemo
Magistrate Trevor Kasanda
Conclusion
Bill 7 was already rejected by the courts as illegal and should never be resuscitated without adhering to the orders issued by the Constitutional Court—that a committee of experts be constituted and that adequate public consultation be carried out to undertake the exercise. Anything short of this will amount to lawlessness and will be unconstitutional.
#zambianwhistleblower #ZWB