Hichilema’s Son, ZNS, and the Dangerous Game of Training Under a False Name

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By Kapya Kaoma

Zambia is once again walking itself into controversy. What should have been a simple story of patriotism—the president’s son, Habwela Hichilema, completing training at the Zambia National Service (ZNS)—has instead turned into a scandal. Serving one’s nation is admirable, especially for the children of leaders. But State House’s bungled communication, coupled with the revelation that the president’s son trained under a false identity, has transformed a moment of national pride into a national security alarm.

First came the strange assurance that he had not received preferential treatment during the training. Then, shockingly, came the real bombshell—he trained under a pseudonym. Ops indeed.

The first defense was unnecessary. Who was demanding proof that the president’s son was not favored? If he qualified and passed on merit, that would speak for itself. By rushing to deny favoritism, State House created suspicion where there had been none. But the far graver problem is the second revelation–the very use of a false identity.

This claim undermines the first. To protect its image, the government now claims he trained incognito. If true, how, in a military institution, does one train under a fake name? This is a critical issue of law, democracy, and national security. Military training relies on verified identities, trust, and clear records. If the president’s son trained under a false name, what documents were submitted? Were certificates forged? Was an NRC altered? Were records fabricated? If so, that is not a mistake—it is fraud. Legally, the person who trained and the person who graduated would not be the same. If deception was at play, how do we even know he trained at all? For all we know, he could have trained elsewhere and simply worn the ZNS uniform on Zambian soil. Such secrecy only deepens doubts about the First Family’s dealings, which are already shielded from scrutiny.

The danger multiplies from there. If the president’s son can train under false credentials, what message does this send to military officials—that laws can be broken to meet one person’s needs? And who else is doing the same? Are ministers’ children, party cadres, or political loyalists quietly embedding themselves into our armed forces under assumed names? If so, Zambia may be cultivating a shadow military—one answerable not to the nation, but to a party or even a family.

History warns us what comes next. Across Africa, leaders have used their children’s military careers to entrench dynastic rule. Joseph Kabila inherited power in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Museveni in Uganda and Kagame in Rwanda have carefully positioned their sons in military command. In each case, the family’s grip tightened while democracy withered. Is Zambia inching toward the same script?

Contrast this secrecy with established democracies elsewhere. In the United States, presidential children have no need to hide their names if they serve. In Britain, princes have enlisted in full public view. Their transparency strengthens trust, proving that service is real—not a cover for political manipulation. Why, then, does Zambia resort to concealment?

The danger is not just today’s deception but tomorrow’s consequences. A military infiltrated by hidden identities is vulnerable to corruption, capture, and abuse. Soldiers whose names and pasts are obscured can be mobilized for partisan ends—or worse, for clandestine operations shielded from accountability. This is the architecture of authoritarianism, not democracy.

The lesson is simple. Democracy does not exist in the shadows. If the president’s son wanted to serve openly, the nation would have applauded him. But cloaking his identity poisons that service, casting suspicion not only on him but on the credibility of the armed forces themselves.

Zambia’s strength has always been the trust between its people, its institutions, and its leaders. That trust is now in jeopardy. If our military is politicized, if deception infiltrates its ranks, democracy will not collapse from foreign invasion—it will rot from within.

The president owes the nation a full, honest explanation. Anything less is a national security failure.

37 COMMENTS

  1. Kapya Kaoma is fast losing his ability for constructive critism. This is the most useless and baseless argument ever! I’m sure if HH’s son went to an Academy abroad under his name Kapya Kaoma would have been ready with his “keyboard to critisize the move. Does he ever write anything encouraging that would inspire the Zambian yourh? Some Diaspora Zambians are completely out of touch with Zambian reality. Diaporans are always critisizing , never do we hear anything motivational.Its always pointing out what Zambia is not doing!!

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    • Kapya Kaoma is one of the most intelligent columnists LT has as is exemplified in his article here. He raises some issues that are so very relevant to the monarchic state every Zambian should be guarding against. With the incorporation of clandestine family positions in our government we should now be worried about the autocratic path our hard won democracy is taking. We need more brilliant minds like Kapya’s to come in the open and participate in the defense of the democracy in the republic of Zambia. A country without a strong opposition is ripe for an Idi Amin to take over

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    • A clear admission that any thing to do with the President is favoured. Why did he use a fake name so that he is not favoured. Where is the professionalism here. He should have gone with his real name, that is what is ethically correct. Any other argument in trying to justify a wrong is wrong

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    • Kapaya is just a tribal hater who has not got over the late ECLs election defeat…….

      He’s articles bring nothing but tribal hate to the table, he thinks he is the opposition……..

      FWD2041

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  2. If your son used a fake name it would be fraud. Why is it ok for the presidents son to use a fake name? This is the problem with zambia, there are always 2 sets of rules, one for politicians and another for common people. This undermines the credibility of our institutions

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  3. Kapaya are you back from south Africa! What story do you have on your dead boss, who is reported to have several names and documents?

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    • Yes, when you go and serve in warfare, you can use a pseudonym. But not in training in your country, the reason Prince Harry did not use a fake name whilst undergoing training in his country

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  5. To Kapya Kaoma: What fake name did HH’s son assume during ZNS training, or is this article based on speculation?

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  7. All of Kaundas sons who went for military training used their real names. There were Panji and Wezi Kaunda. Panji is alive and you can verify. So what is so special with Habwela. And in all fairness the boy is innocent, it is just that he is surrounded by people who like scheming wrong things.

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  8. And how did he get accepted when many other applicants did not make it?.Accepted on first attempt, just how mwebanthu.

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  9. I call up the Public Management division to immediately issue a circular to all government agencies and ministries that use of fake names or pseudonames is not allowed in the government under what ever circumstances. And to also carry out a quick and urgent audit to check if there are some people using pseudonames for what ever reasons and flush them out with immediate effect. This could be another scandal like ZAMSA

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  10. If the presidents son used his real name he would not have had normal pass out or normal training……….

    Imagine if everyone knew he was the presidents son , would they act normal towards him. ???………

    Apart from that , without body guards , there is a danger of kidnapping if everyone knew who he was ………

    This is just a silly argument for people who have run out of arguments……….

    FED2041

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    • This argument is flawed. He should have been treated like any other whether known to be the Presidents son or not, and that is the reason he should have used his real name. That is what is called professionalism. Panji and Wezi Kaunda used their real names in military training when they were the Presidents sons , so what is so special with this one. Professionalism please

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    • Always praixing and seeing no fault the whole Country knows who he is so what’s clever about that ?
      Also leads one to thing who is his mother ?
      Your chap has change the character of this country and not for the better
      his everlasting legacy rightly or wrongly will be ECL
      Give us strength in 2026 to find an challenger to him

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    • Ati panji and wezi. ???

      Please try to understand that this is a different era, different scenarios………

      Can you be so thick to think what happened 30 years ago can happen today ???

      FWD2041

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    • This Spaka man is a Comical Ali. Defend Anything HH does at whatever cost. This is nonsense! it can’t be defended! The army should have steadfast laws.

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  11. In the developed world where i live, this would have been the scenario after the revelations that he used a fake name in military training. Either a senate or parliamentary probe would have taken effect
    1. Why the fake name was used and and justification
    2. If not reasonably justified some people could have been asked to resign
    3. If use of fake name was well justified, why was the lid removed after the training, was the person who revealed that he used a fake name qualified to do so and did he have written military clearance to reveal
    Otherwise such things are not taken lightly

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    • Here, a civilian just wakes up and calls for a press conference and comes to ignorantly announce such a sensitive issue thinking he is scoring points for the President to ‘notice’ him. And life goes on as normal, how. This particular press conference should have been left in the hands of ZNS only as they are the competent people who know what to and not what to say on such issues

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  12. Idiots out of hatred ganging against a young man who chose his path.Not using his real name is protecting him against idiots like you all above.KK’ s sons had body guards during there training,hired to be next to them incognito but gurding the 24hrs.Dont be idiots.You wanted HH
    to put body guards 24/7 for his son.Children of a head of state are protected 24/7.Guess you civilians did not know.You can see them in public alone but in reality there are 2 to 4 guys around.This is what was not needed,that attention. Pf lost and will never come back.Not any time soon. Hatred will make you lamenting on anything and everything basakalanyongo

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    • There is no hatred here. If you think using fake names are okay, then it raises ethical issues. Please sons of current and future Presidents, using your real names is the ethical thing to do in life, you are not in any danger. I know this could have been beyond your control as it was the work of the your usual. And don’t buy into the false narrative that either you or your father is hated. This has absolutely nothing to do with hate. Does it mean they want you to continue using fake names in your career, there is absolutely nothing special in training that you should use a fake name. Some of us underwent the same training, even the narrative that Kaundas sons had body guards is the usual lies

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    • And nobody is even against the young man, don’t mislead people. He did not give himself the fake name, the ones who mishandled the issue are 1. The ones who gave him the fake name and 2. The one who revealed that he used a fake name during training which is not allowed in any normal government establishment in the world. The young man is innocent, however use of fake names is not allowed

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    • I am not even PF but I know that using fake names is wrong, and you don’t need to be a civilian or non civilian to know this. The reason KK used to say ignorance is a disease . So you sangomas, what was going to happen if he used real name. Of course nothing was even going to happen, just fearing fear all the time

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  14. This is a very well argued post. While as I saw no wrong with young Hichilema training, I see your point about DECEPTION. No one is above the law as President HH himself says, so if his son used a false identity, he has opened himself up to PROSECUTION under the next hostile government. If HH was aware, he has endangered the freedom of his son.

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  15. Anyone who knows that 1+1=2 knows it is normal for presidents’ children and other high profile people to use aliases like this for security purposes.

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    • There is no security concerns in this country to warrant use of a fake name by the Presidents son. Let us not fabricate and exagerate security issues which do not even exist. Afterall the official government position in the press conference was that he used a fake name so that instructors were not intimidate to handle him, and here you are dreaming of security concerns that don’t even exist

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  16. There is nothing done wrongly in the UPND government. Two laws for one Zambia, one Nation and one citizen. I see false pretence and pretenders groomed for the next generation.

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  17. Truly shameful. This was a disaster by application and in deed. The military command should have told the Presidency to have the son of the president to use his real names and real correct documents and not forgeries. for a start,how are those under him to be able to follow a guy whose training background was under false details? How many Zambian troops are willing to risk their lives under an officer trained under fake or false personal details? And how genuine are his performance score cards? I am ashamed at such poor decision making at our highest levels of leadership. Embracing fraud as being acceptable is totally stupid!

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