The Speech Analyst
With Mike Sichula
Grow Zambia Agenda vs hot political debates
…Why the country isn’t cooling down
WHEN President Hakainde Hichilema took oath at National Heroes Stadium on September 1, 2026, his call was clear: the election is over, let us ‘Grow Zambia’.
The promise was to move from ballots to business – the Lobito Corridor, power, agriculture. Twenty days later, the political temperature has risen, not fallen.
Five post-election events explain why.
NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile, running mate Makebi Zulu and 16 others were charged with treason on August 29 and seditious practices on September 11.
- Former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot dead during the August 14 raid on Mundubile’s Kabulonga home.
- The revocation of Celestine Mukandila’s citizenship and cancellation of passports for six other Zambians.
- While Mundubile is in Mukobeko, NRPUP and Resolute Party have pulled out of the Tonse Alliance. Many Zambians have called it betrayal – abandoning alliance partners at their most vulnerable hour.
- The government says Bill 7, signed into law on December 18, 2025, does NOT remove presidential term limits. Officially it removed the two-term limit for mayors and council chairpersons, and created 40 new nominated seats for women, youth and disabled.
President Hakainde Hichilema himself has NOT said he wants a third term – but his supporters have started saying it, three weeks into his second term.
What we have on record, first things first, the Constitution in Article 106(3): “a person who has twice held office as President is not eligible for election as President.”
Hichilema was sworn in for his second five-year term on September 1, 2026 after the August 13, election. That term runs to 2031 and is his final term under current law.
When President Hichilema signed Bill 7, he said “after signing, now that is law, I declare that the debate is now behind us” – and that Bill 7 is for all Zambians, not one party or leader.
What has sparked the current debate on removing presidential term limits?
Florence Chileshe Chama, UPND nominated MP (PR) – in video widely shared online said on on 21 Sept 2026:
“As women in Zambia, we want development, we don’t want democracy” and women support Hichilema to remain beyond 2031”
Another UPND supporter, Chilufya Tayali, said:
“Removing the presidential term limit will actually strengthen democracy” and calls for 10-year ceiling counterproductive.
Michael Chuzu, UPND official, on KBN Big Hour:
“President Hichilema is just finishing the late Anderson Mazoka’s term, he is going to start his own term in 2031” and UPND is putting measures to stay long.
Having laid that foundation, Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha has stated upcoming constitutional reforms will follow due process and Zambians will participate, and political statements should not create fear.
So Hichilema has not asked for removal – but he has also not yet publicly told Chama, Tayali and Chuzu to stop. That’s why people are comparing Chiluba’s third term attempt in 2001 that was stopped by churches, civil society and leading to the break away of over 20 MMD MPs to form the FDD led by late vice president Christon Tembo, among others.
In the new twist, Chama’s call on removing term limits brought out something alarming. “ We don’t want democracy”. This is scary to say the least. It is our expectations she didn’t mean to take Zambia back to the era of dictatorship because the opposition of a democratic society is dictatorship.
Away from her careless statement, history reminds us that such a political strategy is never advanced by the beneficiary such as President Hichilema but people that are close to him or even a distant. Their job is simple: cause a stir and the topic will spread like bush fire.
During the second administration after UNIP, at the end of the second term for late President Frederick Chiluba, his third term bid was started by those closer to him and not himself. Therefore, those distancing President Hichilema from this proposal need to go back into history, 20 years back during the reign of the MMD administration to understand this political crafting.
With that said, going by the events that led to the previous session of Parliament passing the co-administration, Bill 7, it is most likely this proposal to remove presidential term limits will go in favour of President Hichilema and those bankrolling the political move.
The current crop of parliamentarians are holding the aspirations of Zambians, will they preserve the traditional presidential two term limits or will they go with the removal of the presidential term limits to create a new system?
Looking ahead, with past attempts by a sitting head of states to use their incumbency powers, receiving a public backclash over such attempts, the latest political move will likely be tied with ending registered voters electing a President but giving such powers to elected MPs to have exclusive rights to choose the head of state.
In conclusion, political strategists behind this scheme are fully aware that majority registered voters cannot be trusted over such a position and chances are high they can be against. Hence a decision may be included in upcoming constitutional reforms as stated by Attorney general Mulilo Kabesha to have the expanded Parliament entrusted to elect a President instead of the voters.
Another downside to this somewhat unexpected debate is that it will have a negative impact on the Grow Zambia Agenda because the political environment will be more charged and critics will not do little or nothing much to keep the government in check on progress made to achieve the set targets.
Foreign direct investment usually settles well under political certainty, investors like to plan beyond the term limits of a sitting head of state and administration, they do not like to put their money where there is political uncertainty, what happens when the third term bid fails or it succeeds?
Mike Sichula has more than 10 years of experience in the Zambia media industry, is a political and current affairs analyst and a TV personality, a public speaking coach and an editor. WhatsApp 0977-719061 or mikeishmeal@gmail.com.
