Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema
The ruling United Celebration for Nationwide Improvement (UPND), particularly its chief President Hakainde Hichilema (HH), would do properly to take heed to Zambians’ views on amendments to the Structure with out the consent of the individuals.
Zambians came upon concerning the draft amendments to the Structure only a few days in the past, when the president officiated at a Girls’s Day occasion. Hichilema mentioned: “The Zambian individuals have now agreed to amend the Structure.” This was a stunning assertion as a result of most Zambians weren’t conscious of its existence, a lot much less the method of how the federal government got here up with such a doc.
Afterward, Hichilema doubled down on this subject throughout Youth Day actions, saying the youths have agreed to such constitutional amendments earlier than the 2026 common elections.
That is nothing however dishonesty on the a part of HH and his authorities, as a result of he is aware of too properly that neither himself nor his authorities have consulted the younger individuals of this nation concerning any amendments to the Structure.
This is similar Structure underneath which HH got here into energy in 2021, so what’s unsuitable with it now? Why the frenzy to amend it simply earlier than the 2026 elections? If this Structure was good in 2021, and the federal government sustained it for the previous 4 years in energy, what has all of the sudden gone unsuitable with it? And now this regime desires to amend the Structure with out the complete participation of all Zambians both by way of a referendum or a constitutional assessment fee.
The Hichilema administration would do properly to be sincere with the individuals for as soon as, by establishing a modus vivendi — particularly with these individuals who disagree with the regime and maybe didn’t vote for the UPND within the earlier elections. That is very important to the restoration of public belief and confidence.
The argument being superior by the president as to why Zambia ought to amend the Structure doesn’t maintain water. The person desires us to consider that he’s doing this for the ladies and youths, within the context of bringing proportional illustration (PR) to parliament. He’s on public report arguing that he wants a particular variety of seats reserved for girls and youth in parliament by way of what he calls a PR system — besides he’s complicated a PR system with a quota system of governance.
Mr President Sir, in a PR system, no parliamentary seats are reserved for any particular group of individuals. As an alternative, parliamentary seats are allotted to political events based mostly on their efficiency and the proportion votes acquired in an election. And normally individuals vote for a political get together and never for a candidate. President Hichilema, with all due respect, it seems that you haven’t paid consideration to the main points of what constitutes a PR system and the way it differs from a quota system. An apple just isn’t an orange, and an orange can’t be an apple, although each are fruit.
If HH actually meant what he mentioned, why didn’t his get together, the UPND, have extra ladies and youths as candidates within the common elections of 2021, notably in its stronghold areas? As a result of, throughout that point, the wind of change was blowing countrywide and anybody who participated in that election underneath the banner of the UPND stood an opportunity to win. He and his get together ought to have been the primary individuals to champion extra ladies to contest as MPs, mayors or council chairpersons and councillors. As an alternative, ladies given nothing however tokenism when he hand-picked Madam Mutale Nalumango as a working mate. That was the phantasm of the inclusion of ladies.
Even after successful the 2021 election, the Structure empowers the president to appoint eight MPs. What number of ladies and youths did HH nominate? As an alternative, he recycled outdated recycled male politicians and gave solely two of the eight seats to ladies and none to youths.
The reality is HH has seen the writing on the wall and is aware of too properly that he has to eliminate the 50+1 clause within the Structure if he’s to win in 2026.
Hichilema’s schemes have to be stopped. He ought to as a substitute cope with the financial hardships which can be urgent our individuals and never obsess about returning energy in 2026.
To the younger individuals of Zambia, please don’t permit yourselves for use and abused by this regime. This man promised you heaven on Earth earlier than he was elected, however he has failed to deal with the excessive ranges of unemployment. He has did not create sustainable jobs and his authorities has even blamed you for not being productive.
Hichilema ought to study from his counterpart, President Duma Boko of Botswana, who’s a person already strolling the speak. He appointed many younger individuals and ladies to key ministerial positions, together with a 26-year-old lady as a cupboard minister. Not like HH, Boko additionally appointed many younger individuals and ladies as diplomats.
Hichilema has mentioned he’s solely mentioning this subject of amending the Structure now as a result of he has been so busy coping with debt restructuring and fixing the economic system. Is the president actually critical? Does he imply these points are mutually unique and might solely be executed one after the other? And what economic system has he mounted? The younger individuals mustn’t let Hichilema get away along with his plot. The Socialist Celebration of Zambia had ladies and youths as candidates for public workplace in 2021, a report that the UPND can not match. This agenda of amending the Structure just isn’t about ladies or the youth, it’s about HH weakening the supreme regulation of the land and altering clauses to favour him within the 2026 common elections.
Final, the UPND authorities ought to know that Zambians can forgive them for a lot of issues which can be unsuitable within the nation. However the one factor that the individuals won’t ever forgive is the UPND going forward and messing round with the Structure. They need to study from their predecessor, the Patriotic Entrance authorities and the autumn of Invoice 10, which aimed to take away parliamentary oversight over the manager, which might have resulted in a constitutional dictatorship. Your Excellency Dr Hichilema, you don’t should be a genius to know that Zambians are very delicate in the case of amending the Structure, simply look to historical past for reference.
Aaron Ng’ambi is a geopolitical analyst and columnist, management teacher and a social entrepreneur. [email protected]