By Revelation Editor
Clearly, those in UPND have chosen the worst timing to start their push to amend the constitution so that President Hakainde Hichilema should be contesting for elections forever, given the many sticking points in the country right now.
The third term debate or attempts to amend the constitution by removing term limits, has always been a controversial issue in this country and it’s a matter that Zambians have been very categorical about. Actually, President Hichilema himself has repeated countless times that Zambians were resolved that they do not want a third term. We don’t think he would change that positions, unless if he probably were to undergo a brain change, which of course will never happen. But since he has previously been categorical about this matter, we urge him to come out and speak clearly about it again in no uncertain terms to put a stop to the many hotheads in his party and sponsored organisations who are running with this issue at supersonic speedy.
There is a well informed saying that one should leave the stage when people are still clapping. The President is now into his second term of office, actually just starting his second and last term of office. Our advise would be for him to truly work on this “growth agenda” path that he has set himself on for this second term, such that by the end of the five years people will be clapping and wishing if he could continue, but will not do so, hence enhancing his standing further.
Let him consider how presidents who resisted public pressure to stay on have often been fondly spoken about with affection and as a reference point to many. Consider late statesmen like South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere for instance. It’s the noblest path many have not taken previously, that’s why even the examples are few. President Hichilema must therefore consider taking a walk along that path.
We know that power is sweet and not many would want to leave it. Actually, the many who are urging the President to mutilate the constitution to remove term limits don’t actually believe in him. They are mostly in it for themselves. They want to maximum their socio and economic status with Hichilema in power as they feel they would be disadvantaged if he were not in office. These are people who are parasitic on what the privileges of power can offer them and not what they can do for the people using their privileged position of power. But should Zambia be sacrificed at the alter of expedience so that some few hungry mouths can continue eating at the expense of all? Definitely not.
As human beings, we must always be guided by the principle that there will always be time for everything. There will be time for one to be an opposition leader and a time when they will assume public leadership. There will also be a time when they will leave public office to become respected citizens, statesmen and offer their expertise to the coming generations.
In Africa especially, leaders usually resist to leave office because of their penchant for abusing power. But if you do your public work honestly and to the best of your ability, there is surely nothing one would fear at the thought of leaving public office. Work in such a manner that if a canterkerous predecessor were to be elected into office and wanted to pursue the often usual retribution against you, they will not find anything they can use to get at you, no matter how hard they may try. Actually, you will even earn more popularity with the people if you leave office as a popular president who resisted the temptations to stay on. If in this country we have had presidents who managed to a greater degree to restore their public standings, sympathies and popularity with the same Zambians masses which had earlier yearned for them to go, how about a president who will leave office at the height of their popularity?
We had Kenneth Kaunda here who left office after a massive defeat at the hands of Frederick Chiluba in 1991. However, those who remember say that the same Kaunda was going to give Chiluba a good run for his money in 1996 had the same Chiluba not barred him from standing. He threatened Chiluba’s hold so much so that he had to concoct ways to bar him from standing. Then there was Rupiah Banda who was voted out in 2011 following his defeat to Michael Sata. However, when Sata’s government started pursuing him for the same things they warned they would pursue him for when they were in the opposition, it was the same public that had voted him out that started to come to his defence and accusing Sata’s administration of persecuting him. Had Banda stood in 2015 following the death of Sata, he was going to give PF a run for their money. Not too long ago, we had an incumbent Edgar Lungu who was voted out, losing by one million votes to a challenger in an election his own administration conducted. However, attempts by President Hichilema’s government to go after Lungu and his family started being viewed by a significant chunk even by those who voted against him as state persecution by Hichilema’s administration. We are very certain that the same Lungu was going to give President Hichilema a good run for his money had he been alive and was allowed to contest the elections. Even without standing, Lungu’s presence in the 2026 campaigns was going to give a lot of sleepless nights to Hichilema.
What are we saying? We are urging President Hichilema to resist the temptations to prolong his stay in office, whether he performs or fails to perform in his second term. This time around he might be serving his second term, but elections being what they are, he can’t be too certain that he will continue winning. And if he were to lose, he would leave office a more diminished personal and president.
Related
By Revelation Editor
Clearly, those in UPND have chosen the worst timing to start their push to amend the constitution so that President Hakainde Hichilema should be contesting for elections forever, given the many sticking points in the country right now.
The third term debate or attempts to amend the constitution by removing term limits, has always been a controversial issue in this country and it’s a matter that Zambians have been very categorical about. Actually, President Hichilema himself has repeated countless times that Zambians were resolved that they do not want a third term. We don’t think he would change that positions, unless if he probably were to undergo a brain change, which of course will never happen. But since he has previously been categorical about this matter, we urge him to come out and speak clearly about it again in no uncertain terms to put a stop to the many hotheads in his party and sponsored organisations who are running with this issue at supersonic speedy.
There is a well informed saying that one should leave the stage when people are still clapping. The President is now into his second term of office, actually just starting his second and last term of office. Our advise would be for him to truly work on this “growth agenda” path that he has set himself on for this second term, such that by the end of the five years people will be clapping and wishing if he could continue, but will not do so, hence enhancing his standing further.
Let him consider how presidents who resisted public pressure to stay on have often been fondly spoken about with affection and as a reference point to many. Consider late statesmen like South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere for instance. It’s the noblest path many have not taken previously, that’s why even the examples are few. President Hichilema must therefore consider taking a walk along that path.
We know that power is sweet and not many would want to leave it. Actually, the many who are urging the President to mutilate the constitution to remove term limits don’t actually believe in him. They are mostly in it for themselves. They want to maximum their socio and economic status with Hichilema in power as they feel they would be disadvantaged if he were not in office. These are people who are parasitic on what the privileges of power can offer them and not what they can do for the people using their privileged position of power. But should Zambia be sacrificed at the alter of expedience so that some few hungry mouths can continue eating at the expense of all? Definitely not.
As human beings, we must always be guided by the principle that there will always be time for everything. There will be time for one to be an opposition leader and a time when they will assume public leadership. There will also be a time when they will leave public office to become respected citizens, statesmen and offer their expertise to the coming generations.
In Africa especially, leaders usually resist to leave office because of their penchant for abusing power. But if you do your public work honestly and to the best of your ability, there is surely nothing one would fear at the thought of leaving public office. Work in such a manner that if a canterkerous predecessor were to be elected into office and wanted to pursue the often usual retribution against you, they will not find anything they can use to get at you, no matter how hard they may try. Actually, you will even earn more popularity with the people if you leave office as a popular president who resisted the temptations to stay on. If in this country we have had presidents who managed to a greater degree to restore their public standings, sympathies and popularity with the same Zambians masses which had earlier yearned for them to go, how about a president who will leave office at the height of their popularity?
We had Kenneth Kaunda here who left office after a massive defeat at the hands of Frederick Chiluba in 1991. However, those who remember say that the same Kaunda was going to give Chiluba a good run for his money in 1996 had the same Chiluba not barred him from standing. He threatened Chiluba’s hold so much so that he had to concoct ways to bar him from standing. Then there was Rupiah Banda who was voted out in 2011 following his defeat to Michael Sata. However, when Sata’s government started pursuing him for the same things they warned they would pursue him for when they were in the opposition, it was the same public that had voted him out that started to come to his defence and accusing Sata’s administration of persecuting him. Had Banda stood in 2015 following the death of Sata, he was going to give PF a run for their money. Not too long ago, we had an incumbent Edgar Lungu who was voted out, losing by one million votes to a challenger in an election his own administration conducted. However, attempts by President Hichilema’s government to go after Lungu and his family started being viewed by a significant chunk even by those who voted against him as state persecution by Hichilema’s administration. We are very certain that the same Lungu was going to give President Hichilema a good run for his money had he been alive and was allowed to contest the elections. Even without standing, Lungu’s presence in the 2026 campaigns was going to give a lot of sleepless nights to Hichilema.
What are we saying? We are urging President Hichilema to resist the temptations to prolong his stay in office, whether he performs or fails to perform in his second term. This time around he might be serving his second term, but elections being what they are, he can’t be too certain that he will continue winning. And if he were to lose, he would leave office a more diminished personal and president.
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