By Brian Matambo | Lusaka, Zambia

PF presidential hopeful Honourable Makebi Zulu used his appearance on MAFKEN Radio to deliver a stark warning about the state of Zambia’s constitutional order and the deepening governance crisis under the UPND administration. Speaking with presenter Misheck Moyo, Honourable Zulu offered a sober yet forceful analysis of how key institutions are being weakened, how fear has replaced fairness, and how constitutional manipulation has become a dangerous tool in the hands of the state.

Honourable Makebi Zulu began by noting that the constitution is not a ceremonial document but the operational heartbeat of a democratic nation. He warned that Zambia is drifting into a political environment where the rule of law is being selectively applied, and where the rights of citizens depend less on justice and more on political alignment. He described this trend as a direct threat to the nation’s democratic foundations.

He criticised the government for attempts to centralise executive power through initiatives like Bill 7. According to him, the proposed amendments reveal a deliberate effort to weaken institutional independence, undermine checks and balances and grant the ruling elite expanded authority without accountability. For Honourable Zulu, the pattern is unmistakable. When the executive grows stronger while Parliament, the Judiciary and civil liberties grow weaker, a nation begins to walk away from constitutionalism and towards arbitrary rule.

Honourable Zulu argued that recent actions by the government show a worrying appetite for political control rather than national reform. He pointed to incidents where opposition meetings were blocked under the pretext of public order, critics were targeted through state institutions, and judicial officers were either reshuffled or dismissed in ways that eroded confidence in the justice system. He said such conduct betrays a leadership that fears the people instead of serving them.

He noted that the constitution exists to restrain power, not to protect those who abuse it. When public servants twist the law to silence dissent or manipulate political outcomes, they betray the very oath they swore to uphold. Honourable Zulu observed that the erosion of constitutional values is often subtle at first, but when left unchecked, it eventually produces a climate where citizens become afraid to speak, assemble or organise politically.

Honourable Zulu’s critique extended to the shrinking civic space, arguing that Zambia is witnessing an unprecedented narrowing of political rights. He condemned the use of intimidation to silence journalists, activists and whistle-blowers, adding that a government that prides itself on accountability should welcome scrutiny rather than persecute those who raise alarm. Governance, he insisted, is not about policing criticism but responding to it with responsibility and humility.

He also warned that the country’s democratic institutions have been compromised by political interference and fear. When judges feel intimidated, when law enforcement becomes partisan, and when Parliament becomes a rubber stamp rather than an oversight body, the people lose the fairness and predictability that the constitution is meant to guarantee. Honourable Zulu argued that restoring institutional independence will require leadership that respects the law even when the law is inconvenient.

Throughout the interview, Honourable Zulu insisted that Zambia stands at a constitutional crossroads. He said the 2026 election will not only determine who leads the country but whether the nation reaffirms its commitment to democratic governance or drifts further into political manipulation. He reminded listeners that constitutions survive not because they exist on paper but because citizens defend them in practice.

In his closing message to the Copperbelt, Honourable Zulu said the region has always been central to Zambia’s political consciousness and carries a responsibility to defend the nation’s democratic values. He urged residents to recognise that constitutional decay affects livelihoods, businesses and freedoms, and that silence in the face of injustice only strengthens those who misuse power.

He concluded by saying that Zambia’s democracy is recoverable, but recovery will depend on leaders who respect constitutional boundaries and citizens who refuse to accept governance by intimidation. If the nation stands together, he said, the constitution can once again become a shield for the people rather than a weapon in the hands of the powerful.