It is dictatorial for a political advisor to issue a stark warning: “Anyone who stands in Hichilema’s way tifyantha,” meaning, “whoever comes in the way of President Hakainde Hichilema will be dealt with.” This ominous statement underscores a troubling trend towards dictatorship in Zambia.
The Dawn of Authoritarianism
Early in President Hichilema’s tenure, the UPND targeted opposition-held parliamentary seats, disrupting the balance of power and hinting at a desire for a one-party system. Recently, nine Patriotic Front Party Parliamentary seats were declared vacant by the Speaker of the National Assembly, aiming to lift the former head of state’s immunity (Edgar Lungu). UPND must realize their main opposition is the suffering Zambian people, who are entitled to decide who to lead them in 2026 as per the constitution.
Undermining Democracy
Manipulating parliamentary representation was just the beginning. By-elections in Kabushi and Kwacha were marred by irregularities and voter intimidation. The Democratic Party, under President Harry Kalaba, was neutralized by recognizing fake owners, showcasing government interference in the democratic process. UPND also targeted the largest opposition group, the Patriotic Front (PF), manipulating party leadership and the Registrar of Societies, pushing Zambia towards a one-party state.
An Abduction and a Chilling Negotiation
The erosion of democratic norms is further exemplified by the arrest of opposition MPs and the chilling negotiations surrounding the abduction of an MP. The audio conversations emerged of deals being negotiated by individuals who are neither part of the judiciary nor law enforcement, but mere MPs and civil servants. These negotiations, concerning what an abducted MP must do regarding his case, reveal a disturbing pattern of extra-legal actions designed to silence dissent and coerce compliance.
A Nation at a Crossroads
The rise of authoritarianism and fear for opposition party’s under President Hichilema serves as a reminder that power is transient. The words of Martin Luther King Jr. resonate “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
Advisor Ngoma, hope you can heed the Zambian proverb: “Masiku Ni Panyo Pa Tambala, Pa Maoneka Mpepo Ikapita”. Zambians are watching your threats. Zambia is not your bedroom to silence different voices. Hichilema must be held accountable for his promises on the economy and load shedding. Zambians must speak freely. We are not in a banana republic or a kingdom with an untouchable king. No one went to Community House to encourage Mr. Hichilema to make promises before the 2021 elections, he made promises on his own. Let him work on the Kwacha and load shedding or use the Dubai formula he touted.
Zambia’s journey towards democracy has been fraught with challenges. The current UPND trajectory threatens to undo decades of progress. Late President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Hon Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, and the late former Vice President H.E. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe never fought hard for our rights to be undermined by a few people.
By Misheck Kakonde
The author is a legal scholar, comparative politics specialist
@Misheck Kasonde, just kill yourself, take a flexible wire, tie around your neck while standing on a chair. Kick the chair and you be HANGING. It took me 3 minutes to die, so not too bad.
If you fail, call me I can come and assist you.
This article is an opinion piece that is scandalous propaganda without an ounce of fact.
Zambia is now the country in Africa with most freedoms and LT you publish an article like this and as one of your headlines. Lusaka Times I am rather disappointed in you.
You should have told this individual, “what you are saying has no evidence to support them”.
I challenge some of your comment writers to tell us a which country in Africa whose citizens have more freedoms than Zambia currently.
LT by printing articles like this you are tarnishing the name of Zambia. Think about that
HH and his goons must just go look for a live electricity transformer if there is any electricity left in the nation since we are in load shedding created by ECL ( LOL ) and hug the live transformer.
upnd praise singers looks like are back on this platform after being reprimanded by their masters to be active and defend the failing upnd on socials… kikikiki. They were quiet for some time, now they are back catching chest pains
Must be very hard for upnd trying to convince pipo that the hyena at their house is a dog. Pipo see through you and have a yard stick to measure your failures to the achievements of PF, period.
Insults & threats is all they know, how i wish hh had pushed the nation forward in infrastructure, economy for the pipo who put him in power. He now blames the bible and God for hardships. King saul just mover over
I wish hh had pushed the nation forward in infrastructure, economy for the pipo who put him in power.
HH now blames the bible and God for hardships. King saul just mover over
If hh is pushing the nation forward like Kagame we will keep him forever, but nooo, he is to clever kikiki.
Pride kills a man’s destiny, stop being proud baba ba hh
It is so easy hh, just go and ask Kagame what make Kagame a great leader & he will tell you the secret come home & implement them and see your nation boom. Just copy & paste, yaba pride mr. know-it all.
UPND is so bitter & misplaced, you guys would have buried ECL by just doing what they promised pipo & by doing their jobs excellently, but nooo they blame everything on ECL even their 3 year rule
I just love the acronym for Upnd.
Author is Legal scholar. That explains it. He is still learning about law. In law we deal with FACTS and LAW. Facts are presented in evidence and evidence must be tested and proved. The last paragraph also shows that he is also ignorant of history. You cannot say ‘democracy’ in the same breath as KK, Kapwepwe and Nkumbula.
The article calls a spade a spade. That is what we see – disgraced dictatorship. And dishonest rude boys surrounding the dictator. Twenty years in opposition and they still rule like a novices. This is a bunch of incompetent souls. They are also very very dishonest group. Dictatorship will not work Bwana Hakainde. Just Sober up and owner up.
the media is considered the fourth arm of government; an arm closest to voters. by allowing to flourish, unlike in PF where it was gagged, at least we can count that UPND has done a tremendous job on this! in PF this writer would have been kidnapped by PF MPs and his mouth urinated into…
You got it wrong like your UPND colleagues. The media is not the fourth arm of government. Your statement whether out of ignorance or otherwise, wrongly justifies government ownership and control of media and stupid portfolios like the Ministry of Information and media. Democracies dont have government owned or controlled media because the fourth estate ought to be free.
Government or the Executive, is one of three arms of GOVERNANCE(not government) in a democracy. The others being the Legislature and the Judiciary. The media is known as the fourth arm of governance because it represents the citizens’ freedom of speech