UPND is Struggling to Find the Right Term to Describe the Opposition to Bill 7

By Venus N Msyani

President Hakainde Hichilema’s push to amend Zambia’s constitution through Bill 7 has become one of the most contentious issues of his presidency. Persistence in resistance against the idea has forced the president to repeat himself; characterization of opposition to the bill as “hatred.”

On June 24, 2025, Hichilema met with civil society organizations at State House to discuss governance reforms. During the meeting, he expressed frustration that his administration was being treated differently from past governments. H pointed to UNIP, MMD, and the Patriotic Front (PF), all of which amended the constitution during their tenure. “Why is my administration being prevented from doing the same?” he asked, describing the resistance as hatred he could “feel.”

The remarks drew immediate backlash. Headlines such as “Mr. President, Criticism Is Not Hatred” captured the public mood, with many accusing Hichilema of dismissing legitimate concerns. Civil society groups argued that constitutional amendments should be approached with caution and broad consensus, not framed as personal attacks against the presidency.

Five months later, on November 25, Hichilema repeated the same sentiments during a live press conference at State House. Switching between English and Bemba, he told reporters: “UPND, this man they don’t like for whatever reason… this level of hatred is shocking, right! You can see that there is venom here, you can even touch it.”

He went on to question again why critics now reject constitutional amendments when previous governments faced little resistance. “We go to amend the constitution using the same law, using the same clauses that were used before. They say no, the timing is wrong. But what about those other timings when it was amended? What was right? Why didn’t you go in the streets?” he asked, his tone mixing frustration with disbelief.

It is hard to tell why President Hichilema has repeated remarks that had previously attracted so much criticism from the general public.

These remarks have only deepened public skepticism. His insistence that opposition stems from hatred and regional bias has been interpreted as divisive. At one point, he suggested that resistance was linked to his birthplace, saying: “I feel punished because I come from a certain region of the country. I didn’t choose where to be born. Neither did you. None of us should serve a sentence for crimes we didn’t commit.”

Civil society organizations, led by the Oasis Forum, have vowed to resist what they see as a rushed process. Plans for street protests have been mentioned, with activists warning that Bill 7 undermines democratic safeguards. Church bodies have also voiced concern, urging the President to adopt a more conciliatory tone and prioritize national unity.

Critics argue that Hichilema’s repeated references to hatred and regionalism is a hunt for sympathy and they maybe be right. Sympathy was among the major factors in the 2021 elections.

The 2017 prolonged detention of Hichilema and the mistreatment that followed after his release, including open remarks by then in power the Patriotic Front (PF) officials that Hakainde Hichilema would never rule Zambia, made a lot of people sympathize with Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND).

Is the president hunting for sympathy? What is clear is that the President’s words have become as much a part of the debate as the bill itself. By framing criticism as hatred, Hichilema risks alienating stakeholders and fueling division at a time when Zambia needs consensus. Whether he can recalibrate his message and build trust will be a decisive factor in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, it appears the UPND has not come up with the right term to describe the opposition to Bill 7. On Friday, December 12, 2025, Minister of Information and Media, Hon. Cormelius Mweetwa, who is also the Chief Government Spokesperson, described it “malice.”

Under pressure, Bill 7 was deferred and now back in parliament. The resistance against it has intensified, with the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) saying it is unconstitutional and demanding its withdrawal. Mweetwa says it is malice. Does it sound better than hatred?