PROF. ALFRED CHANDA: “POLITICIANS WANT TO MANIPULATE THE CONSTITUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR OBSCENE LOVE FOR POWER”

Renowned legal scholar, human rights defender, and constitutional expert Professor Alfred Chanda has launched a scathing critique against political leaders, accusing them of trying to manipulate the national constitution out of an obscene love for power. Speaking on the state of governance and constitutionalism in Zambia, Prof Chanda underscored that the supreme law of the land must reflect the collective will of the citizens rather than the parochial interests of those occupying the corridors of power. Prof Chanda noted that democracy is a fragile experiment that cannot endure without an alert and active citizenry. According to the veteran academic, politicians across various spectrums routinely attempt to undermine legal frameworks and subvert institutional checks and balances whenever their political survival is threatened. He warned that leaving the constitution-making and amendment processes entirely in the hands of politicians invites authoritarian tendencies and compromises the democratic gains that Zambia has fought hard to achieve since independence. The critique comes at a critical time when debates surrounding constitutional reforms, governance structures, and the protection of democratic space continue to dominate public discourse in Zambia. Civil society organizations and legal experts have frequently raised alarms over attempts by successive administrations to alter legal provisions to consolidate executive power. Prof Chanda reiterated that genuine constitutional reform must be driven by the people through transparent, inclusive, and consultative mechanisms that insulate the process from partisan manipulation. Furthermore, the academic stressed that the constitution serves as an instrument to discipline the powerful and restrain government overreach. When political elites treat the fundamental law as a malleable document, it erodes public trust in democratic institutions and destabilizes the nation. Prof Chanda called upon civil society groups, stu