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The Leadership Movement has criticised the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) for allegedly bypassing public consultation on key national matters, warning that such an approach could lead to unrest.
Party Spokesperson, Patson Chalwe, cited the ongoing Constitution review process, changes to cyber space legislation, the education curriculum, and the introduction of a new currency as examples of unilateral decision-making by the government.
In a statement, Chalwe accused the UPND of treating citizens as mere rubber stamps for decisions made behind closed doors.
He alleged that the Constitution amendment process was launched without broad-based engagement with the public or critical stakeholders such as the Church and civil society organizations.
“The challenge with the Constitution amendments is not necessarily the specific Articles being revised or introduced, but the growing tendency of the UPND to tamper with governance structures unilaterally and with impunity,” Chalwe stated.
He also criticised the government’s handling of the curriculum and grade system changes, saying the reforms had been implemented without sufficient preparation or stakeholder involvement.
“The curriculum shift is causing problems because the new syllabi have not yet been produced, and teachers will likely need retraining,” Chalwe said.
He claimed that government’s failure to consult had left citizens feeling bulldozed into accepting policies they had not endorsed.
Chalwe further pointed to government’s recent announcement on changing the national currency as another example of poor consultation.
“The UPND simply woke up one day and declared they were changing the currency. Once again, the public was left on the receiving end with no prior engagement,” he said.
Chalwe accused the ruling party of making “undemocratic” decisions and warned that the trend was eroding public trust and democratic principles.
He reiterated that major changes—such as cyber laws, education reforms, and currency alterations—should involve nationwide consultation to reflect the will of the people.
“It goes without saying that the Constitution-making process cannot be divorced from the growing perception of a dictatorial approach now being associated with the UPND,” Chalwe stated.
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