President Hakainde Hichilema holds a Caucus with UPND Members of Parliament at State House

President Hakainde Hichilema holds a Caucus with UPND Members of Parliament at State House

Lusaka-24th July 2024

President Hakainde Hichilema on Wednesday held a Caucus meeting with UPND Members of Parliament at State House.

In the meeting President Hichilema emphasised on the need to have control of the  numbers in the National Assembly.

He said there are plans regarding proposed constitutional amendments that will be tabled in Parliament and it was important that the Party was ready to ensure that the proposals were succesful.

Amendments to the Constitution and the lifting of the immunity of a former President,.require a two-thirds majority.

He expressed concern that the nine seats which were declared vacant have not been subjected to by-elections.

He also wondered why Kawambwa MP, Nixon Chilangwa ‘s seat has not been declared vacant following his imprisonment and alleged that Chilangwa had began to serve his five year sentence.

There has been outstanding allegations from the days of Mulambo Haimbe as Minister of Justice, that President Hichilema is seeking to amend the Constitution to secure;

1. Abolition of 50+1 electoral system for the election of the President and to revert to the simple majority or First Past the Post (FPP) system.

2. Removal of presidential term limit,.like Rwanda did.

3. Lifting of constitutional immunity of the former President Edgar Lungu.

4 to conduct the delimitation exercise that may be skewed to large constituencies from his stronghold.

President Hichilema also expressed confidence that his party will win the forthcoming by-elections even if they were in the former ruling, the Patriotic Front areas stating that the Opposition was in disarray.

Following the meeting, UPND Luena MP, Mubita Anakoka was tasked to raise the point-of-order over the Kawambwa Seat when Parliament resumed Wednesday afternoon.

Anakoka proceeded to raise the point-of-order as earlier instructed.

Although the Speaker was expected to respond after she had prepared a response, it was not to be, as Ms. Mutti was prepared for the point of order and had a prepared detailed ruling to render and declare Kawambwa seat vacant.