The Erosion of Justice: Why Zambia Must Reject the Defiance of Law at the Ballot Box
By Bishop Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba
President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP)
Voting against President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration in the 2026 general election is a moral necessity to defend Zambia from systemic lawlessness and institutional decay.
A government that climbs to power on the promise of the rule of law must be judged by its fidelity to that promise. True leadership submits to the authority of the judiciary. Instead, the current administration has normalized lawfare, dismantled democratic norms, and actively undermined court rulings to weaken the political opposition. When the executive branch handpicks which judicial orders to obey and which to defy, it compromises the constitutional foundation of our Republic.
Crucially, this administration has systematically targeted the very soul of our Republic by quietly chipping away at our sacred founding philosophy of “One Zambia, One Nation.” Built on the pillars of unity, inclusivity, and shared identity regardless of tribe or region, this motto is the bedrock of our peace. Rather than preserving this sacred national cohesion, the current administration has actively weaponized tribal regionalism and practiced blatant favoritism in civil service appointments, board selections, and regional development projects.
This divisive policy splits our citizenry, pits regions against one another, and destroys the visionary foundation laid by our founders.
We have a holy duty to protect, defend, and preserve our national motto; we must use our votes to reject any leadership that thrives on tribal polarization and instead rebuild a unified, cohesive Zambia.
The most glaring manifestation of this institutional lawlessness is the administration’s overt interference in the internal governance of the United National Independence Party (UNIP).
Through the executive-controlled Registrar of Societies, the state manufactured a parallel leadership crisis by illegally recognizing an expelled faction. In May 2025, the Lusaka High Court explicitly resolved this dispute, issuing a clear injunction that reaffirmed the legitimate central committee and strictly ordered Col. Henry Muyoba to cease meddling in party affairs or face immediate imprisonment for contempt of court.
Despite this binding judicial order, the Hichilema administration chose to by pass the courts. The regime actively illegally embraced and legitimized Colonel Muyoba, utilizing his rogue faction to endorse the UPND for the 2026 presidency.
Entertaining individuals who stand in open contempt of court is a direct assault on judicial independence. This political handshake exposes a dangerous reality: this administration rewards judicial defiance if it serves their consolidation of power
This pattern of subverting state organs stretches far beyond UNIP. We have witnessed the unprecedented suspension and dismissal of Constitutional Court judges, aggressive crackdowns on alternative voices, and the weaponization of law enforcement to fragment a united opposition front.
A government that subverts courts to choose its own opposition cannot be trusted to manage an equitable economy or run a free election. We must use our votes to reject this overreach, punish state-sponsored lawlessness, and restore absolute integrity to Zambia’s justice system.