Africa-Press – Zambia. The stage is set. Tomorrow President Hakainde Hichilema will walk into Parliament for what could be the most scrutinised address of his term. At stake is not just the government’s record, but its ability to convince Zambians that the nation will not remain trapped in the dark.
Leader of the Opposition Robert Chabinga has drawn a line in the sand. “Parliament is a House of rules,” he warned, cautioning opposition MPs against boycotting the session. “Any member that decides to abscond with impunity will be dealt with accordingly.” His message was clear: the opposition must show up and face the President, not retreat.
Mporokoso lawmaker Brian Mundubile sharpened the critique, demanding “20 hours of electricity for every Zambian.” He has argued that the UPND’s promise to end load shedding within five years had already collapsed.
“Now they talk of 2029. That is an admission of failure,” he said. In his words, power is not a luxury but a precondition for national survival.
Mundubile also sounded alarms on the country’s cohesion. “The President must introspect. Is Zambia more united or more divided since he came into power?” he asked. He urged Hichilema to examine appointments in the civil service, the judiciary, and the foreign service against Article 259 of the Constitution, warning that citizens are now more conscious of ethnicity than ever before.
The economic record is under equal pressure. Mundubile pointed to successive budgets worth more than K800 billion, yet argued that little development has been visible. He dismissed the government’s heavy reliance on the Constituency Development Fund as “a distraction,” saying, “There is K850 billion outside the CDF. Where is the impact?”
On Facebook, the President had asked Zambians for input on his speech. The comments were unfiltered and uncompromising. “Talk about load shedding the whole day kwasila,” one user wrote. Another added, “We cannot be having only three hours of power.” The digital town hall turned into a chorus of anger, underscoring how electricity has become the single most urgent demand.
Political analysts note the irony. Hichilema’s path to State House was paved on social media mobilisation. Four years later, those same platforms are now serving as his courtroom, where citizens deliver their verdicts before Parliament does. “If this address dodges the energy crisis, it will be remembered as the speech written in the dark,” one analyst told The People’s Brief.
Tomorrow’s moment will not be judged by its ceremony but by its substance. Zambians are looking for answers, not slogans. The question is whether Hichilema will offer a credible roadmap or leave the nation still searching for light.
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