‎HH has a unique opportunity to do generational good

By Revelation Editor

‎President Hakainde Hichilema has a unique opportunity right now to make the most of the favorable numbers he has in Parliament to leave a lasting legacy on this country as one of the best presidents ever to have ruled this country.

‎But if not used wisely, the same numbers can also completely destroy his legacy if he abuses those same numbers and the power of incumbency.

‎Hichilema emerged from the 2026 general election with 136 members of parliament elected on the UPND ticket, soon to be 138 as two of his candidates in Mandevu and Lumezi are running unopposed following the withdraw of all the participants who were contesting against them. The nature of the withdraws has actually raised a lot of talk, but we shall leave commentary for that to another day. Today, we shall focus on the unique opportunity the President has been presented with.

‎The nature of the numbers in Parliament is such that Hichilema is not only counting on the loyalty of UPND members, but he also has a lot of independents who ascribe their loyalties to him and the UPND since they stood as independents after being overlooked from contesting the seats they won on the UPND ticket, and are actually looking to re-contest those same seats on the UPND ticket in future elections. He also has 11 nominated members of parliament, plus 60 percent of the 40 who came through mixed member proportion representation, plus the ‘donated’ ones who were supposed to have come through the NRPUP. Then we have an opposition, particularly the main opposition NRPUP, which is having to deal with its own internal chaos amid questionable allegiances. Given that scenario, it is easy for the President Hichilema to get tempted and become selfish.

Under this arrangement, it’s easy for any hothead from the ruling party to seek to pass any selfish bill that favors the interests of the President. We don’t even need to go further than the well orchestrated push by some mindless individuals who are seeking to mutilate the constitution to remove term limits so that the President could contest elections perpetually, despite himself having made mention countless times that he had no interest in the third term as he wanted to retire to his farm after serving out his constitutionally mandated two terms.

‎Those who love him and want the best for him will be advising him to be modest and use the power before him for the good of the country. He has themed his second term as the grow Zambia agenda term. Those numbers he has could actually come in handy in terms of helping him to speedy up the implementation of his agenda by removing some of the notorious rigidities from off his path. He can do a lot and achieve a lot through those numbers in Parliament if he only focussed his eyes on advancing the noble ideals for the benefit of this country.

‎If he uses this power properly, he will look back on his time in office with a smile because of the many achievements that he will have scored because of the opportunity that he’s living under now. Let him not look back on this period with regret, because history, fortunately or unfortunately, will always record our time on the earth.

‎While not overlooking his many achievements so far, there are still many things that a causing public irritation and anger against him and the UPND administration. And anyone who understands human nature will intrinsically be aware that people often remember the bad and not the good of what someone has done. Therefore, successes notwithstanding, the cost of living in this country is still a living hell for many, with skyrocketing fuel and food prices. The 2026 elections also came with its own challenges as ably tabulated by institutions such as the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM). Rather than dismiss those concerns, we urge the President and the administration to reflect on them and seek to make amends.

‎The President must govern this country as if he were out of power. Let him right things that would serve him and his party’s interests, and the general good of all Zambians, well after his and the UPND’s time in office. He must put in place a police, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), ZNBC, civil service and a united and democratic Zambia he will be proud of well after his time in office.

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