President Hichilema is Taking The Country Into Civil Unrest

The recent serious post-election conflicts witnessed in the neighbouring states of Mozambique and Tanzania, saw wide-spread violence, looting and riots, needless loss of life, damage to public and private property, and the subsequent threats to the countries’ national peace, security, and stability, provide credible insights, fear and prediction to where Zambia is going into in 2026. The situation is reflective of trends that could escalate if not addressed promptly.

Sadly for the Sahel and parts of West Africa Region, we have recently witnessed grave turn of events where post-election conflicts and poor handling of the electoral process have led to military coups, often triggered by disputed results, lack of electoral credibility, insecurity, especially with legacy issues such economic hardships as seen in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Gabon, and Sudan,

The seizure of power, using the excuse and citing failure to deliver democracy or credible elections and stability, have instead seen the worsening of human rights and governance and the installation of military dictatorships in these countries-the very serious issues that credible, democratic and transparent elections and fair electoral process are designed to cure and prevent.

The mishandling of pre-election issues and concerns have shown that they spawn deadly consequences and now threaten the democratization process that Zambia and Africa embarked on.

Therefore, it is crucial for Zambia to learn from these regional dynamics to ensure a stable political environment.

It must be stated without any fancy illusions or pretence, that President Hakainde Hichilema has been both methodical and systematic in setting up a dangerous stage for Zambia to degenerate into civil unrest.

He has embarked on a clear path to undermine and destroy democracy and the Rule of Law by attempting to steal, kill and destroy the largest Opposition party in Zambia-the Patriotic Front (PF).

This action alone has undermined the multi-party character of our democratic nation.

He has enacted extremely draconian laws, relived such archaic and anti-democratic laws such as seditious laws.

He recently hijacked legsilation against cyber security and cyber crimes to weaponise them against speech and freedom of expression.

Even mundane legislative amendments to laws such as ZNBC and IBA Acts have seen provisions placed on to undermine freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

From the onset, he appointed stooges, UPND loyal cadres to head both Parliament and the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

Wherever he found professional public workers such as the Chief Registrar of Societies, Thandiwe Phiri-Mhende, who attempted to prevent the breaking of the law, they were forcibly removed from their offices and positions to pave way for the lawlessness that occurred and prevails.

To control the Judiciary totally, President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed a significant number of judges, and by 2025, over 50 new judges across various superior courts (High Court, Court of Appeal, Constitutional Court) since he took office, including major batches like 20 in early 2023 and another large group of 27 in one instance, aiming to reshape Zambia’s judiciary.

The Judges did not go through a competitive and public process and many were poorly qualified to hold the positions.

The recent events surrounding Bill 7, a proposed law to extensively change the governance framework, including: Expansion of Parliament: Increasing the number of constituency-based seats in the National Assembly from 156 to 211,remove two-term limits for local government leaders, and revise nominations and electoral procedures.

These changes are dramatic and extensive and cannot be done without establishing a legal framework, engage in a broad consultative process and gain acceptance among key stakeholders.

Despite the Constitutional Court striking down this Bill 7, both Government and The Speaker of the National Assembly refused to comply with court orders and kept the Bill active on the floor of the House.

State House embarked on a hurried and what later became a sham process by appointing a motley group they purported was a Technical Committee on the constitution-making process, and without enacting supporting legal framework and giving the Committee an impossible deadline, were it was made to conduct what they purport were a consultative process.

Sadly both the Draft Constitution and Report emerging from this process has been discarded as the law required for the implementation would require fresh public gazette and notices.
As stated by the Law Association of Zambia(LAZ) Bill 10 is dead and government has a duty to comply with court orders.

State House has abandoned talks and negotiations with the OASIS Forum, a key grouping representing the Church, civil society actors and the Law Association of Zambia.

It has become apparent that President Hichilema halted public demonstrations against the Bill and tricked the leadership of the OASIS Forum into talks destined to window-dress his masked intentions to enact Bill 7 into law.m
To everyone’s horror, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti appointed a Select Committee and ordered that it starts work and conduct hearings to prepare for Bill 7 to come up for second reading.

It is sad to witness Parliament continuing to act with utter contempt of court by hearing and conducting proceedings for Bill 7.

It must be noted that the Speaker of the National Assembly, her Deputies and members of Parliament have been cited for contempt for discussing a Bill that has been declared illegal and unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court.

On Friday 5th December Members of the Select Committee; Hon. Garry Nkombo (Mazabuka), Sibeso Sefulo (Mwandi), Brian Kambita (Zambezi East) Emmanuel Banda (Serenje), Sibongile Mwamba (Kasama Central), Mubita Anakoka (Luena), Jacqueline Sabao (Chikankanta), Stanley Kakubo (Kapiri Mposhi), Newton Samakayi (Mwinilunga), Simon Banda (Petauke), Wamunyima Imanga (Nalolo), Misheck Nyambose (Chasefu), Elias Daka( Msanzala), Davies Mungandu (Chama South), and George Kandafula (Serenje), began a hurried process to rush the process of finalizing the Bill before Parliament adjourns sine die.

It clear that President Hichilema is determined to enact and entrench a dictatorship, reverse the democratic dividends so far achieved and attempt to guarantee his rule over Zambia with or without the Will and Consent of Zambians.

This is a dangerous path for our country and well -meaning Zambians and institutions must stand and halt the perilous path President Hichilema is subjecting the country to.

With his detrimental actions against democracy so far witnessed, President Hichilema has become a sole danger to our democracy, is threatening our peace and his actions threaten the stability of our country.

It is also important for the international community, especially those invested in our country using their financial, human and technical resources, to take keen interest in Zambia’s pre-election instability brewing and help to prevent Zambia to be plunged into chaos as recently seen in Mozambique, Tanzania and other parts of Africa and to ensure that the country holds credible, democratic, free and fair elections so that our peace, security, stability and our sincere quest to promote sustainable development, is not disrupted or destroyed.

It is easier to manage pre-election political tensions and threats to peace than handle post-election conflict and violence.

Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Chairperson of Information and Publicity
Member of the Central Committee
PATRIOTIC FRONT

𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝟕: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟑 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲

By Dr Mwelwa

The most dangerous moments in a nation’s life never arrive shouting; they come disguised as reforms, wrapped in politeness, coated in procedure, and delivered by committees that look balanced on paper but are poisoned at the roots. That is the quiet treachery we face with the Select Committee appointed to scrutinise Bill 7. At face value, Bishop Bilon Kalumbinga is correct, 7 UPND MPs and 8 from “opposition” parties appear balanced. But politics is never about arithmetic; it is about allegiance. As Hitler told the Reichstag in 1933 when pushing the Enabling Act, “Give us four years, and I will deliver peace and order.” The room applauded, not knowing they were cheering their own burial. Today, we are told, “Relax, this group is balanced,” when beneath the green skin lies a red belly, and beneath the red belly lies a constitutional knife sharpened for the throat of democracy.

Three Independents on this list publicly caucus with State House; every vote they cast in Parliament smells of UPND loyalty. Two PF MPs, Mung’andu and Elias Daka, have endorsed HH for 2026 and actively campaigned for UPND-backed candidates. Sibongile Mwamba has drifted so far from PF that even her colleagues wonder which party she belongs to. The Nalolo MP is from PNUP, a UPND alliance partner. What looks like opposition is, in truth, a choir rehearsing the ruling party’s chorus. This is why those who cried out for prayer were not being dramatic, they were reading the political weather. As our elders say, umulilo uchafula pa kuba abaumfwa: fire warns only those who can hear it.

And let us not forget the deeper deception. Hitler told Parliament, “The government will use these powers only where necessary.” That assurance was the coffin. Bill 7’s defenders say the President will dissolve Parliament only when “the Executive cannot govern.” But who decides failure? The same Executive. Hitler used legal language to override legal institutions; today we use “as prescribed” to erase judicial oversight and place Parliament under presidential mercy. Africans say ing’ombe isuma tabula bwali, a cow that is too quiet is planning to kick the pot. Bill 7 is that quiet cow.

The danger intensifies when you examine the skillset of this committee. On matters of constitutional weight, where are the legal heavyweights? Where are Mundubile, Kafwaya, Sampa, Katotobwe, the men who can smell constitutional fraud before it is printed? Replaced by political placeholders who nod more than they think. It reminds me again of Germany in 1933, Hitler packed committees not with thinkers but with loyalists whose greatest qualification was obedience. “The future of Germany,” he said, “requires unity.” Unity meant silence. Unity meant submission. Unity became dictatorship. Today, we are told, “These MPs will scrutinise objectively,” when their political survival depends entirely on pleasing the President.

African history is full of these warnings. In 1972, Kaunda used unity to create a one-party state. In 1996, Chiluba used constitutional amendments to scatter opponents. In 2016, Edgar Lungu used legal ambiguity to extend his stay. Each time, the people woke up late but eventually resisted. Zambia survives not because our leaders are wise, but because citizens eventually refuse to be fooled. Yet here we stand again, at the edge of the same old cliff, watching the same old script unfold. A committee that looks balanced like a watermelon, green outside, red inside. A bill that speaks softly but carries the power to crush dissent. A political class that pretends not to see what every child in the market can see clearly.

Hitler warned his Parliament: “Obedience is the foundation of order.” Bill 7 whispers the same message, obey or be dissolved; comply or be replaced; align or be politically eliminated. The President gains the power to declare Parliament uncooperative, then dissolve it, then govern with a compliant majority manufactured by delimitation. That is not reform. That is constitutional engineering of the darkest kind.

Zambians must not sleep. Icakulya cumfwa pamo, chilalalila. When people eat together in secrecy, the nation must ask what is on the menu. Those celebrating this committee’s composition must understand that democracies do not fall with guns, they fall with committees, with amendments, with silence.

If Germany could be destroyed by one vote in Parliament, Zambia can be reshaped by one committee pretending to be neutral.

And when the nation collapses, history will not blame the rulers; it will blame the citizens who saw the storm coming and said, “Let’s wait and see.”