By Wynona Silwamba
Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema recognises that he has literally been knocked out of the 2026 presidential race because of his failure to address the various crises: economic crisis, high cost of living, food insecurity, youth unemployment, poverty, failure to deliver on his campaign promises such as cheaper mealie-meal, fuel electricity, fertiliser, cooking oil and sugar.
The United Party for National Development (UPND) has only two choices.
1. Change leadership, remove Hakainde Hichilema to present a new leader in 2026, to increase chances of the Party to retain power.
2. Rig the elections-Hichilema has chosen the second option. To manipulate the results of the 2026 general elections.
PREPARATIONS FOR 2026 ELECTIONS AND ITS MANIPULATION
Hichilema had evil foresight. He appointed persons from one region of the country to head all key positions.
He appointed Nelly Mutti and Mumba Malila to head the Legislature and Judiciary, respectively.
He has also appointed Vincent Blacksin Malambo SC as Chairperson of the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC), Prof. Mulela Margaret Munalula as President of the Constitutional Court and Hichilema’s associate, Arnold Mweetwa Shilimi, as Deputy President of the Constitutional Court.
Or, by the way, have you ever wondered why there were high rewards for the team from the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)?
Board Chairperson Bradford Machila was appointed as State House Principle Private Secretary, Dr. Roma Chilengi (Chief Scientific Officer) appointed as State House Special Assistant for Health and COVID-19, Dr. Lawrence Mwananyanda appointed as State House Special Assistant for Projects, CIDRZ Board Member, Mrs. Kondwa Sakala Chibiya was appointed as a member of the Judicial Service Commission.
This team at CIDRZ was key in securing funding for the UPND hiding through the organisation. There is speculation were these funds came from, including from USA LGBTQ groups.
Hichilema appointed a senior member of the UPND, Frances Mwangala Ifunga Zaloumis, as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia. He also appointed a well-known UPND cadre and the Executive Director of Governance, Elections, Advocacy and Research Initiatives (GEARS), Mc donald Chipenzi, as Commissioner on thr ECZ Board.
GEARS was instrumental in training observers and affirming the 2021 election results.
Hichilema also appointed heads of the defence and national security from the same region.
He has also proceeded to appoint heads of state-owned enterprises and state agencies from the same region.
These appointments will be key in 2026 and will be useful for what is being prepared ahead.
2. DESTROY THE OPPOSITION
A systematic plan is underway to destroy and decimate the Opposition.
The Patriotic Front(PF) has been officially been proscribed, while a stooge has been imposed as President on the fake PF.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti was quick to illegally change the leadership of the Opposition in Parliament, while Mumba Malila did not bother when the cases challenging the illegalities against the Patriotic Front, were deliberately stalled, deliberately delayed and deliberately sabotaged.
3. SHRINKING DEMOCRATIC SPACE
President Hichilema has heightened attacks against democracy and democratic institutions with the help of appointees such as the Inspector General of Police, Graphael Musamba.
He has restricted coverage of the Opposition on the public broadcaster, ZNBC.
He has banned political rallies, meetings, protests and demonstrations by the Opposition.
He has systematically arrested key leaders of the Opposition and has charged them with trumped up charges.
Vocal critics such as Socialist Party leader, Fred M’membe have been slapped with trumped up charges.
Amb.Emmanuel Mwamba, Rizwan Patel and other were tortured while other members of the Opposition have fled the country such as Economic and Equity Party (EEP) leader, Chilufya Tayali, former State House aide, Kaizer Zulu and former Minister of Information and former NDC Leader, Chishimba Kambwili.
But Kambwili was abducted from Zimbabwe, and forcibly returned to Zambia.
4. RIGGING INFRASTRUCTURE
Mwangala Zaloumis is being used to horn the rigging strategy that will be unleashed and implemented in 2026.
Since October 2023, the Patriotic Front has been banned from participating in elections.
The entire approach is meant to disenfranchise former President, Edgar Lungu who has returned to active politics.
The UPND have unleashed violence against other party agents that are chased from polling stations after close of poll.
The continuous voter registration and mobile NRC issuance exercises, are being abused to promote more voter numbers in Hichilema’s perceived stronghold.
In recent by-elections, the Police have ignored with impunity, reports of violence against members of the Opposition.
This is part of the larger strategy to restrict the operations of the critics and the Opposition.
5. ASSET SEIZURES AND DENIAL OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Hichilema has made it clear that business entities perceived as threats against his interests will be destroyed.
He has seized their assets, denied them government businesses, and used institutions such as the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Zambia Revenue Authority(ZRA) to seize, quarantine or garnished targeted accounts against persons or entities he assumes may be against him.
On the other hand, he has extended government business opportunities to himself and his associates.
He has also increased opportunities to grab major State assets such as the copper mines to himself or his associates.
INFILTRATE AND REDUCE INFLUENCE OF CIVIL SOCIETY
The Catholic Church and other church groupings have been targeted to reduce their influence. The leadership is insulted and scandalised using State House owned rogue online media organisations.
The UPND has set up and opened various media centres of social-media, radio callers, and bloggers to manufacture opinions that Hichilema is popular.
UPND has also invested in controlling radio and tv stations.
CONCLUSION
It is clear that Hichilema has an evil agenda to clamour to power.
He may be warned that there have been previous regimes that planned to steal elections and hoped to hold on to power did not succeed. He will not succeed.
zambianobserver.
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