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The Citizens First (CF) party leader, Harry Kalaba, has accused the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) government of hijacking all government functions, as demonstrated by its attempt to commence constitutional amendments without any consensus with stakeholders.
Kalaba has also commended the Constitutional Court for standing firm and delivering the judgment that led to the death of Bill 7 of 2025.
In an interview with Zambia Monitor, Kalaba raised concern over alleged deterioration of governance standards in Zambia, fearing a degeneration into a one-party dictatorship.
He argued that while it was necessary to address some lacunas in the 2016 Republican Constitution, initiating the process without involving stakeholders was not only reckless but dangerous—akin to pushing citizens into a position of revolt.
“The Executive must be cautioned to follow established standards that have not only been proven effective but have also helped the nation develop constitutions with broad bipartisan acceptance,” Kalaba said.
“For the record, all constitutional amendments carried out by past governments involved broad-based consultation, save for the 1991 amendments, which did not require further consultation as they were in direct response to citizens’ calls for a return to multipartyism” he added.
Kalaba advised that President Hichilema took time to read the Constitutional Court judgment that rendered Bill 7 an illegal act.
“Having done that, we call upon him to resign for presiding over a Cabinet that approved an illegality to be tabled before Parliament. A President takes an oath to protect the Constitution of Zambia, not to cannibalize or adulterate it through illegal means,” he said.
Kalaba also called on foreign dignitaries who have chosen to look the other way while the UPND allegedly abrogated the law to reflect on the impact of their silence.
He expressed sadness that some diplomats accredited to Zambia viewed the botched Bill 7 as an internal process requiring no intervention or condemnation.
“While we appreciate the intervention by the Constitutional Court, we can only pray that, going forward, diplomats will speak truth to government and call them out when they breach the Constitution. The relationships Zambia enjoys with your countries were not built by the UPND, and we hope you will aspire to maintain them after the 2026 elections, when the UPND government is defeated through the ballot,” Kalaba said.
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