UPND Distances Itself From Calls to Remove Presidential Term Limit

The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has sought to quell mounting public anxiety by formally distancing itself from recent calls made by individual party members and aligned political actors advocating for the removal of presidential term limits. The controversy erupted following public pronouncements and regional petitions—such as the Western Province-led 'Project 2090' and remarks by certain parliamentarians—urging a constitutional amendment to scrap the two-term cap enshrined in Zambia's supreme law. Addressing the media through party spokespersons, the UPND maintained that opinions aired regarding executive tenure are strictly personal views and do not constitute an official party or government position. Leadership stressed that members engaging in the debate are exercising their constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression rather than executing a clandestine party mandate. The ruling establishment has reiterated its commitment to constitutionalism, attempting to douse suspicions that the discourse is a calculated trial balloon designed to test public appetite for extending President Hakainde Hichilema's stay in office beyond his legally mandated tenure. The debate has nonetheless triggered sharp pushback from civil society organisations, governance watchdogs, and opposition parties. The Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) was among the foremost entities to caution against tampering with executive term limits, warning that altering the foundational rules of presidential succession undermines democratic safeguards. Critics have drawn parallels to previous eras of Zambian political history, arguing that tampering with term limits concentrates excessive authority in the presidency and erodes public trust in democratic institutions. Political analysts note that the timing of these debates places acute pressure on the ruling party, which has frequently pledged to uphold democratic norms and reform