Will MPs Trade the Constitution for a Seat? Bill 7 and the Esau Dilemma
By Dr Mwelwa
Will Members of Parliament sell their birthright and the soul of our nation—the Constitution—for a mere cup of soup?
Have they read the story of Esau in Genesis 25:29-34, who, for one meal, sold his birthright to Jacob—an impulsive decision that brought him lifelong regret? “Esau despised his birthright,” the Scripture says. Are some of our lawmakers now walking down that same road, trading legacy for temporary gain, future honor for fleeting comfort?
We have heard unsettling whispers—rumors that brown envelopes have made their way into the hands of certain opposition MPs, not as gratuity for service, but as inducements to back Bill 7. Is it true that a few of these lawmakers, having lost hope of bouncing back in 2026, have chosen to cash in while they still can? If so, is the Constitution—our shared foundation—now up for sale to the highest bidder?
Some are allegedly doing it to protect their businesses. Others, it is said, are doing it out of fear—that if they don’t, they will be prosecuted or blocked from accessing lucrative tenders or contracts. Yet others are reportedly courting adoption by the ruling party for 2026, believing that supporting this Bill might earn them a seat at the next political feast. Is this how laws are to be written in a democracy? Is this how nations rise?
Let us remember the tragedy of Germany in 1933. The Enabling Act, passed by the Reichstag under pressure and manipulation, handed absolute power to Adolf Hitler. It was just a vote. Just one law. Just one moment of weakness. But that one decision erased democracy and led to a global catastrophe. Do our MPs know that they, too, wield such power—that a single vote can remake or unmake a republic?
And what of the specific provisions in this Bill? Will you, Honorable Member, vote for delimitation without knowing the new electoral boundaries? Will you back a clause that ensures your gratuity is withheld until after elections, leaving you broke and unable to campaign in an environment where politics is now disturbingly commercialized?
Do you realize that your silence or complicity could cost this nation generations of regret? That your children, one day, may ask you: “What did you do when the Constitution was at stake?” Will you say, “I took the money.”?
You have the power to shape Zambia’s destiny. Not State House. Not the Executive. Not the brown envelope. You, Honorable Members, are the guardians of our collective future. Will you protect it—or pawn it?
History will not forget. Neither will the people. And certainly, God will not be mocked.
NB:
Please share this article with every Member of Parliament you know
You are making a weak argument Sir because as you have put it yourself, you are acting on rumors. Rumors are not facts, they are just rumors, what evidence do you have on all the allegations you have heaped on opposition MPs?
Your concern on delimitation holds no water. To carry out delimitations before you know the political boundaries is not in itself a threat to the Constitution or Democracy. In Democracy, what matters is the majority and not the issue under review. So Bill 7 will go ahead as long as it’s backed by the majority from both in Parliament and outside parliament, i.e. various stake holders like the Church, Tradtional Leadership and the Citizenry at large. We shall not listen to the opposition who are always detrimental to development, they oppose anything be it good or bad.
Larry MWiitwa ahhh, you were insulting and doing artificial intelligence
Be careful with politics of the stomach
When you look back Zambia had a population of 5M people in the early 90s, the population is now 20M people. Do you really believe that government should just fold it’s arms to enable people interested in allowances line up. They have been doing this every time they hear constitution amendments, but there contributions so far going back have been decimal despite their collection of excessively huge amounts in allowances.