“One poor term doesn’t justify another,” asserts Socialist Party president Fred M’membe, highlighting that the current actions—such as constitutional breaches, human rights violations, detentions, and manipulation of institutions—are aimed at bolstering Mr. Hichilema’s bid for a second term in office.

“They’re driven by desperation, aiming to establish a full-fledged dictatorship and turn our nation into a hub of senseless tyranny. It’s precisely why Mr. Hichilema seeks alterations to the Constitution: removing the five-year presidential term limit, proposing a seven-year term, and scrapping the 50% + 1 clause in favor of a First Past the Post electoral system to evade a potential rerun, a contest he fears he cannot win,” he alleges.

Dr. M’membe implored President Hakainde Hichilema to halt the progression towards tyranny in the country.

“We’ve previously cautioned that Mr. Hakainde Hichilema won’t alleviate the tensions or abuses of state power within the criminal justice system.”

On his Facebook wall, he expressed, “The deliberate shrinking of civic and political space, the criminalization of dissent, and the pervasive human rights violations we witness today are all orchestrated acts stemming from sheer desperation.”

“Furthermore, the unabashed impunity, senseless brutality, blatant disregard for the rule of law, and the blatant grand corruption and misappropriation of state resources we’re witnessing are all intentional. Yet, what fuels this extreme paranoia and flagrant abuse of the criminal justice systems, law enforcement, and other governing institutions? What drives this unquenchable thirst for violence, corruption, and chaos

HH fears rerun, wants to remove 50% + 1 clause in Constitution – M’memb

He argues that “all these draconian intentions and actions; the violation of our constitutional order, human rights abuses, detentions and torture, abuse of the judiciary, parliament, the police and other institutions of governance are calculated at boosting Mr Hichilema’s chances of securing a second term in office”.

“This is the reason they’re so desperate and determined to install a full-blown dictatorship and make this country an outpost of senseless tyranny. Its the same reason Mr Hichilema wants to change the Constitution to perpetuate his stay in office by removing the five-year presidential term limit and introduce a seven-year term as well as remove the 50% + 1 to revert to First Past the post electoral system to avoid a rerun, which he fears he can’t win,” he charges.

Dr M’membe urged President Hakainde Hichilema to stop tyranny in the country.

“We have warned before that Mr Hakainde Hichilema is not going to de-escalate the tensions and abuses of state power and the administration of the criminal justice system.

The shrinking civic and political space, criminalisation of dissent, and all forms of human rights violations we are witnessing today are all deliberate and a product of desperation,” he wrote on his Facebook wall.

“Equally, the impunity and senseless brutality, disregard for the rule of law, and the grand corruption and looting of state resources and funds that are currently on display are deliberate. But why this extreme paranoia and brazen abuse of the criminal justice systems, law enforcement, and other institutions of governance? Why this insatiable appetite for violence, corruption, and chaos?

Dr M’membe argued that President Hichilema and his league are fully aware that they lack the demonstrable ability and intellect to understand the state of “our economy and social political situation, and thereafter, superintend or engineer a workable and sustainable economic and political transformation for the country”.

“In fact, it dawned on this corrupt regime that they will not manage to transform this economy and ultimately guarantee a prosperous and sustainable survival of the people just after a year and a few months into their term of office. Mr Hichilema and his league know that they have no solutions to this country’s economic woes and have now resolved to become tyrannical and authoritarian in their quest to retain power beyond 2026,” he said. “All these draconian intentions and actions; the violation of our constitutional order, human rights abuses, detentions and torture, abuse of the judiciary, parliament, the police and other institutions of governance are calculated at boosting Mr Hichilema’s chances of securing a second term in office. They know that there is absolutely nothing they will do to turn the economy around and improve the livelihoods of our people so they’re in a survival or political self-preservation mode. They want power at all cost even when it’s clear that there is nothing they’re doing currently to warrant their continuity of their leadership at this point.”

Dr M’membe said they just want power for the sake of it.

“They want power for selfish reasons. They want power to protect their commercial interests and their corrupt business networks. This is the reason they’re so desperate and determined to instal a full-blown dictatorship and make this country an outpost of senseless tyranny. Its the same reason Mr Hichilema wants to change the Constitution to perpetuate his stay in office by removing the five-year presidential term limit and introduce a seven-year term as well as remove the 50% + 1 to revert to First Past the post electoral system to avoid a rerun, which he fears he can’t win,” charged Dr M’membe. “The signs are clear that they are not going to stop the spread of brutality, ethnic bigotry, division and tyranny in the country and that they will increasingly become desperate as we get towards the end of their term. We therefore need to stand together and resist the tyranny and oppression that has taken hold in the country. This road to destruction and chaos Mr Hichilema is leading us to must be stopped because nobody is prepared to be enslaved, maimed, abused and tortured just to feed Mr Hichilema’s ego, hatred, vengeance, tribalism and extreme thirst for power, money and control. We must by all legitimate means necessary stop this madness and take action to restore order, stability, prosperity, and democracy in our country.

One bad term doesn’t deserve another, aleya!”

-The Mast