Mulambo Haimbe Says UPND Has Not Discussed Removing Presidential Term Limits

Mulambo Haimbe has rejected suggestions that his party is preparing to remove Zambia’s presidential term limits, saying the UPND has never held discussions about making such a change. The party’s Deputy Chairperson for Legal Affairs also questioned a warning from the Chapter One Foundation about possible legal action. Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Haimbe said it was inappropriate for the civil society group to threaten court action when, according to him, the government had not proposed any change to the rules. He argued that people have a constitutional right to express views about possible amendments, whether others support those views or not. The dispute followed comments on Monday by Chapter One Foundation Executive Director Josiah Kalala, who said civil society would consider legal action if there were attempts to remove the constitutional two-term limit for presidents. Haimbe’s response was that the concern was premature: he said the UPND, as a party, had never discussed removing presidential term limits. The available report ends before giving the rest of his remarks, so it does not provide further detail on what he said about the foundation’s warning. The exchange puts the constitutional limit and the right to debate potential changes at the centre of a public disagreement between a senior party figure and a civil society organization. Haimbe’s position, as reported, is that discussion of constitutional matters is permissible and that no party proposal to abolish the limit has been put forward.