Africa-Press – Zambia. Let me state the truth with absolute clarity: Zambia is now standing at a dangerous crossroads because of Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s reckless insistence on forcing Bill 7 down the throats of citizens who have overwhelmingly rejected it.
His double standards, political arrogance, and deliberate manipulation of constitutional processes have reached very dangerous proportions.
This is not leadership. It is the conduct of a man who has lost his moral compass and forfeited the legitimacy to govern.
The President cannot, on one hand, pretend to invite dialogue with the Oasis Forum and other stakeholders, and on the other hand rush to the podium to announce that constitutional amendments will proceed regardless of what citizens say. That is deceit. That is political dishonesty. And that is the purest form of hypocris and lack of respect for others.
If Mr Hichilema was genuinely committed to hearing the voice of the people, he would not pre-empt the outcome of the very dialogue he claims to be calling for. His actions confirm that his so-called call for dialogue is nothing but a political gimmick designed to buy time, weaken public resistance, and mask his desperate hunger for constitutional engineering.
The burning question remains: what is so urgent in Bill 7 that Mr Hichilema cannot wait until after the elections? Why is he refusing to listen to the majority of Zambians who have clearly said no to these rushed and suspicious amendments?
The answer is as disturbing as it is obvious. Bill 7 is crafted to benefit him personally. It is tailored to tilt Zambia’s political architecture in favour of those he wishes to empower and permanently weaken those he seeks to silence. This is not about national interest. This is about political survival.
If passed, Bill 7 will hand Mr Hichilema and his chosen allies a constitutional weapon with the potential to entrench themselves in power. The proposed adjustments to representation risk giving disproportionate influence to specific regions, creating a Parliament structurally skewed to favour one demographic while marginalising others.
What kind of president willingly promotes a constitutional arrangement that sows division while destroying the delicate balance of national unity? What kind of leader pushes amendments designed to create an uneven political playing field in a country built on the promise of equal representation?
This behaviour is not only irresponsible. It is a betrayal of the very democratic principles Mr Hichilema claimed to stand for.
The country is watching in disbelief as the Head of State deploys state machinery, propaganda networks, and political spin doctors to sugarcoat Bill 7. Yet beneath all the polished talking points lies a dark truth. Bill 7 is a Trojan horse. Once it enters our legal system, it will give Mr Hichilema the tools to manipulate the Constitution with unprecedented ease.
No president should ever have such power. Not Kaunda. Not Chiluba. Not Mwanawasa. Not Lungu. And certainly not Hichilema.
The most painful part is the mocking posture Mr Hichilema has adopted toward citizens. He speaks as though Zambians are children who cannot understand the dangers buried within the bill. He addresses the public as though our fears are unfounded, our opinions irrelevant, and our concerns uninformed.
This is an insult to the collective intelligence of a nation that fought for democracy, defended civil liberties, and removed governments that attempted to tamper with constitutional stability.
Mr Hichilema is proving, through his conduct, that he has become the very thing he once condemned. A leader intoxicated by power. A leader closing his ears to the people. A leader who believes he alone understands what is best for Zambia.
But Zambia is not a personal kraal, estate. It is a sovereign Republic with citizens who have the right to say no when their president attempts to alter the constitutional foundation of their nation without genuine consent.
Let us be blunt. A president who refuses to listen to his people no longer has the moral fitness to lead them. A president who manipulates constitutional processes for personal political advantage cannot be trusted with the future of the nation. And a President who dismisses national consensus is a danger to the very democracy he swore to protect.
Bill 7 has exposed Mr Hichilema’s true colours. It has revealed a leader who is now operating in defiance of the people. A leader prepared to fracture national unity for political gain. A leader who has crossed the line between democratic authority and authoritarian ambition.
Zambia must reject Bill 7. Zambia must confront the painful truth that the man currently occupying State House has drifted dangerously far from the democratic path he once promised to walk.
The people of Zambia deserve a leader who listens, not one who imposes. A leader who unites, not one who divides. A leader who respects the Constitution, not one who schemes to rewrite it for personal advantage.
Mr Hichilema is clearly no longer fit to lead this nation.
The sooner he realises that Zambia will not tolerate constitutional betrayal, the better for our democracy and for the generations that will come after us.
Fred M’membe
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
