Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has delivered a stern warning against politically motivated violence as tensions escalate in the southern African nation ahead of crucial elections scheduled for August 2026.
President Issues Strong Warning Against Violence
In a strongly worded address delivered on Tuesday, President Hichilema condemned recent incidents of political violence and issued a clear message to those planning unrest. The president specifically referenced an incident two weeks ago where he was pelted with stones during a campaign rally in the northern town of Chingola, forcing him to abandon the event.
"We will not allow any thuggery to return to our streets, to our bus stops, to our public places ever again," Hichilema declared during his address. "You try to do that — the law will be with you." The president, who leads the centrist United Party for National Development (UPND), emphasized that Zambia remains "a unitary state" and warned that "nobody fragments this country."
Constitutional Amendments Spark Controversy
The rising political tensions have been fueled by proposed constitutional amendments that include a provision to increase the number of constituencies from 156 to 211. Critics of the amendment argue that it represents an attempt to keep President Hichilema in power by redrawing constituencies to favor his party in parliamentary seats.
However, the president has defended the proposed changes, stating that some existing constituencies have become too large to manage effectively. The timing of these amendments, coming in the countdown to next year's elections, has drawn criticism from various quarters.
In response to the proposed changes, church and civil society organizations have announced plans for a march to the State House on Friday to protest the constitutional amendments.
Deepening Political Divisions
The recent wave of violence has seen blame attributed to supporters of both the ruling UPND and the more left-leaning opposition Patriotic Front (PF). Among the incidents causing concern was the storming of PF headquarters in the capital city of Lusaka.
Adding to the political tensions is a separate standoff concerning the burial of former president Edgar Lungu, who was a member of the Patriotic Front. Lungu's family has refused to repatriate his body from South Africa, where he died in hospital in June, because they object to President Hichilema presiding over the funeral ceremonies.
President Hichilema, a business tycoon and veteran opposition leader, scored a landslide victory in the bitterly-contested presidential elections held on August 16, 2021. He is now seeking a second five-year term in the upcoming August 2026 polls.
