Since assuming office in 2021, President Hichilema has not permanently moved into State House, a decision that has drawn criticism from some opposition figures who twice challenged the matter in court. Critics argued that the Head of State should reside at the official presidential residence.
Speaking during a meeting with councillors and local government leaders in Lusaka, President Hichilema said he had no issue with the scrutiny but maintained that remaining in a familiar environment allows him to work without distraction.
“If you come to my yard, where I live, I work in State House, but I live in the Community House. I know a lot of people made noise and they even took me to court twice. Why does he live in the Community House? It’s better I live where I have lived before,” he said.
The President explained that living at Community House allows him to move freely, including at night, without concern about unfamiliar surroundings. He added that this comfort enables him to maintain a calm mind while carrying out his duties at State House.
“Even if I’m dreaming in the night, I know where the toilet is. Then my mind will be freer when I’m working in the people’s office,” he said.
During the same engagement, President Hichilema urged councillors and local leaders to ensure their wards are clean, orderly and safe. He called on residents to maintain their properties and properly manage waste, while directing local authorities to monitor abandoned buildings that could become centres of criminal activity.
“Come to my area there, anytime. Don’t make an appointment. Pass through that road, you’ll find from the beginning of our property up to the end, there’s no paper there. We clean there. And we take responsibility to clean,” he said.
He further stressed that neglected properties pose risks to public safety and that local authorities, councillors, members of Parliament and mayors must ensure such spaces are properly managed.
“Because the people who voted for us want to see a clean Lusaka, a clean Chama, a clean Kabompo, a clean Kawama. That is the issue. That’s why I asked for this meeting. You are the frontliners, councillors. Nothing is difficult. Each one cleans where they operate. The council should know who owns this property. It’s there in the database,” President Hichilema said.
But now the councilors from Shiwang’andu has come out in the open that the councilor who announced at their meeting with the President that councilors were endorsing HH was wrong as that was neither the agenda of the meeting nor the agreed position of councilors. This desperation has now gone beyond, you call the councilors from all parties then you plant one councilor from your party to come and make an announcement on behalf of others , which is not even the agreed position of others
In other countries, this could have been a constitutional crisis, imagine the UK prime minister refusing to move to number 10 Downing Street or Mr Trump refusing to move to the White House, don’t we have constitutional experts in Zambia?
They dont have spooks like our politicians believe
With all due respect, can the tax payer be informed on how much of their hard earned funds have been spent on moving between State House and Community House everyday?
This govt has been more transparent than preceding govts.
One would hope that this information will be shared with Zambians.