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The United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of seeking to suspend Zambia’s constitution, following his speech to the National Assembly.
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President, Edith Nawakwi, claimed that Hichilema’s comments suggested a desire to portray himself as an ‘all-powerful’ leader.
Nawakwi made these statements during a press briefing at the UKA Secretariat in Lusaka’s Woodlands area on Saturday.
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She criticized Hichilema for allegedly suggesting he could unilaterally move the election date from August 13, 2026, to eight or nine years later, beyond the current five-year parliamentary term.
“What a man says in his mind, so is he,” Nawakwi said, accusing the President of becoming too comfortable in power and potentially disregarding the will of the people.
Nawakwi argued that Hichilema’s stance reflected a dangerous level of authority, where the President might feel empowered to suspend democratic processes at will.
“In the African Continent, there are some like my ‘brother, my president, Hakainde Hichilema,’ who when power is sweet and the chair starts to make them feel glued, might say ‘I shall suspend the wishes of the people,’” she added.
In response, former President, Edgar Lungu, stated that the UKA represented a chance for redemption for any mistakes made during his presidency.
He noted that many UKA members were not part of his government, offering a fresh perspective.
Lungu expressed a willingness to learn from critiques of his previous administration, saying, “I also have a chance to understand from those who were criticizing us where we went wrong as the Patriotic Front.”
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