OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA
Greetings to you, Mr. President,
This letter serves as feedback and a reflection on your recent address to the UPND leadership in Lusaka.
One key issue you raised and which caught my attention was your concern about independent aspiring candidates and how you would work with independent MPs, council chairpersons, councillors, and ministers.
Your Excellency, voters are good people. They are the ones who give politicians the opportunity to serve and to solve community problems. Yet, in the past four years, many of your supporters have struggled to bring forward vital issues that deserve your attention through these leaders. Sadly, some of your appointees have shown lack of seriousness and arrogance toward ordinary citizens concerns on the ground.
If you could witness how some of them treat the very people who helped them rise to power and occupy these offices, you would be deeply concerned as their principle.
From my experience growing up in a rural community, I’ve learned that voters mostly need leaders who are approachable leaders who listen and act. Even when results take time, what people value most is responsiveness. Unfortunately, this is a quality missing among many of your civic leaders. Once appointed, they become “bosses,” treating calls from citizens as bothersome or as begging. Because of this attitude, Mr. President, many voters are frustrated and feel ignored. Even in this article they will dismiss it and call it frustration which I don’t mind as long as the truth has been spoken.
Some of us have found ourselves stepping in to help citizens solve problems that should be handled by elected leaders who draw a salary through tax payers money. Why should a villager come to me to complain about poor road networks, delayed FRA payments, corruption, and other local issues bypassing their councillor, MP, minister, Council chairman, Director, PS, mayor, or DC? If I were in such a position, I would reflect seriously on my failure to serve.
As we enter the rainy season, the situation is dire in several regions. In places like Nyawa, farmers’ maize remains unpurchased in some depots and it has started raining in some parts of the country. Roads are already impassable. The same is true for Lufwanyama, parts of the Eastern Province, N. Western, Central Province, and beyond. Yet many leaders have vanished after winning the 2021 elections. It is this attitude that angers voters Mr. President and citizens are saying next year each one should show their works which is why we are saying you will go through because we have seen your works.
Mr. President, these are concerns some of us have raised with you before that certain representatives have become liabilities. Despite your efforts to reshape Zambia, some of your officials are failing to live up to your vision.
We, the youth, also understand that some leaders act carelessly because they know they won’t be the ones in office to face the consequences of today’s failures. But we must think beyond personal gain and focus on the future of our nation.
Furthermore, Mr. President, I urge you to remind those issuing threats to aspiring candidates like myself that Zambia remains a democratic country. Everyone should be free to participate in the political process without intimidation. The best candidate as you yourself demonstrated in 2021 will always prevail.
Some of us will continue to support your development agenda even as independent candidates or MPs, so long as it remains people-centered and focused on progress. All we ask is that the voices of citizens be heard clearly especially for my farmers.
Today, farmers are crying. When you called upon them to produce more food, they responded in good faith. Yet now, it is difficult for them to reach those tasked with addressing their concerns.
Mr. President, remember the Tonga saying, “Imutwe mupati tawuleyi nkonyo” when the head is big, it is difficult for it to dodge a punch. If your appointees fail to fulfill their duties in line with the expectations of the citizens, you, too, will ultimately bear the blame as their leader.
This could negatively impact your legacy. For the civil service to deliver quality results, leadership must set the right example beginning with you, the Vice President, and your ministers, all the way down to ordinary citizens like myself. Any weakness or gap in that chain of leadership disrupts the entire system. Unfortunately, some of your appointees often act contrary to your directives once you make public pronouncements. The powers are vested in you and you are the right person to clean up any liabilities.
Furthermore, Mr. President, there is a growing perception that UPND favors candidates with financial resources over those with commitment, competence, and dedication to the party’s developmental agenda. The adoption process is increasingly viewed as favoring the highest bidder rather than the candidate best suited to serve the people. This perception risks alienating grassroots supporters, eroding public trust, and weakening the party’s credibility. If left unaddressed, it could create long-term damage for your administration and the party’s cohesion ahead of 2026 general elections.
Finally, Mr. President, I sincerely advise that you caution the National Management Committee (NMC) against corruption in the upcoming adoption process. If they are not careful, they risk imposing candidates who may fail to pull through on your ticket. It is no secret that “bags of money” will soon start circulating in exchange for adoptions. Let integrity lead the process and you will have quality people as you begin another term next year.
I wish you all the best and God’s blessings.
Yours sincerely,
Sikaile C. Sikaile
Good Governance and Human Rights Activist / Independent Aspiring MP for 2026
See you in Parliament next year, Mr. President.
Professional Disclaimer:
This letter is written in my personal and professional capacity as a scholar and practitioner in Political Science, International Development Studies, Public Law, Canadian Studies, Indigenous Studies, Environmental Justice, International Relations, Public Policy, and International Law. The views expressed herein are solely my own and do not represent any organization or institution I am affiliated with. They are informed by my academic background and extensive experience in governance, human rights, and social justice advocacy. My intention is to offer constructive and evidence-based feedback that promotes accountability, transparency, and ethical leadership for the advancement of Zambia’s democracy, environmental sustainability, and inclusive development.
Mixed messaging has never won any one in politics. It’s either you’re on the right or left