Tuesday, October 15, 2024

President Hakainde is the One with Campaign Lacunas and Loads of Campaign Lies

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President Hakainde must learn that adherence to constitutional mandates is paramount. His recent address
to the August House, where he mentioned a potential postponement of elections, is no laughing matter.

Peer Pressure from Apologists
Another issue that deserves attention is the blind loyalty displayed by some of Hichilema’s supporters, who
are willing to overlook these constitutional violations. The cries of “HH until 2090” from these apologists
only serve to entrench bad governance and erode the moral standards of Zambian politics. The Constitution
must be respected by all, and not just when it aligns with political interests. Therefore, the president must
avoid peer pressure from his apologists who think Zambia is a Kingdom, where he can be in power as he
wishes.

Addressing the Real Issues
Instead of focusing on postponing elections, President Hichilema should redirect his energy toward
addressing the pressing issues currently affecting Zambia. Load shedding, economic instability, and the
rising cases of abductions are the real problems that Zambians face daily. These challenges demand urgent
attention, rather than distractions like speculations about extending the election period.
As a legal scholar let me guide you since your legal team fear to guide you to protect their jobs.

According to Article 106(1), It states that the term of office for the President is five years, which begins
when the President is sworn into office. 106(3), further guides and limits a person to serve no more than
two terms as president. Therefore, not even any hallucinations of justifying lacunas can be used as a reason
for not having elections. Having guided you Mr. Hakainde on the above.
I hope you can ponder on these questions before you go to bed. Mr. President, given that you came into
power under the current constitution, which clearly states that elections must be held every five years,
what specific “lacunas” do you believe now justify extending your term for an additional eight years?
Can you explain how your position aligns with Article 106(1) of the constitution, which mandates that
elections must take place every five years on August 12? Isn’t the call to delay elections a violation of that provision?

Many citizens see the constitution as a binding agreement between the government and the people. How
would you address concerns that altering the election timeline undermines this social contract?
While you claim there are “gaps” in the constitution, do you not think the proper democratic process would
be to amend these perceived flaws through legal channels rather than unilaterally extending your
presidency without public consent?

Your suggestion that elections may be delayed for eight years is raising concerns about the state of
democracy in the country. How do you justify this decision when the constitution, which you swore to
uphold, explicitly sets a five-year electoral cycle?

Given that the constitution you are questioning is the same one that allowed you to rise to power, why
should citizens trust your government to act in their best interests if the constitutional timeline for
elections is ignored?

Mr. President, the constitution has served the nation by providing stability and predictability in governance.What would you say to critics who believe that delaying elections undermines these principles and creates an environment of political uncertainty? Can you provide a clear legal justification, grounded in the
constitution, for delaying the elections, especially given that Article 106(1) prescribes a fixed date for the next elections?

Given the constitutional provision that the president’s term is limited to five years, do you not think any
attempt to extend this period without a public referendum undermines the democratic rights of the
citizens?

Mr. President, you have previously advocated for upholding the rule of law. How do you reconcile your
current position with the fact that the constitution clearly mandates the holding of elections after every
five-year term?

Misheck Kakonde Concerned Citizen and Legal Scholar

13 COMMENTS

  1. HH offended God by demeaning the national day of prayer. Unfortunately his sin cannot be forgiven Mark Chapter 3:28-30.
    The only way Zambia will go back to normal is to reject him at the next polls.

  2. A legal scholar should not deliberately ignore the context and latch onto snippets to mislead the public. That’s why the majority doesn’t trust lawyers!

    Just tighten the constitution, as advised by the president, and eliminate any possibility of a Lungu taking advantage of such loopholes!

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    • You have raised a very valid point. These imminent constitutional changes are meant to put Hichilema into a plain sailing mode. To satisfy his ego and political ambitions. Thank you.

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  3. @ UFIMBENUMA
    Yes things are getting worse and it seems HH has no clear solution….they went to make noise in China and came back with more lies empty promises…..but on the contrary things are ok for HH and his Ministers because they’re busy stealing billions everyday….they have electricity 24/7

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  4. Zambians will save themselves from a lot of trouble by impeaching this president now. What sort of president spends all his time plotting against his own citizens? I promise you that drama queen in State House has just started his shenanigans. This is just the start of trouble. Prepare yourselves from more hardships.

  5. Law is not like Mathematics or Science. Two lawyers can contradict each other and still both be right or both be wrong. The law is a donkey. This is why we have the Judiciary which is the only institution mandated to interpret the law. Lungu kept ministers in office after prorogation of parliament and he claimed that he is a lawyer who knows best. The courts disagreed. The celebrated Constitutional lawyer John Sangwa SC has been ruled offside many times by the courts. So, just because you have LLB, does not mean that you are right.

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