Zambia : Hichilema Begins Second Term, Pledges Growth-Focused Agenda

President Hakainde Hichilema and Vice President Mutale Nalumango took the oath of office on Tuesday for a new five-year mandate running through 2031, committing to govern with honesty and accountability.

Addressing the crowd at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, Hichilema reached out to his political rivals and asked citizens to accept differing political views, arguing that election outcomes shouldn’t drive Zambians apart permanently. He said his administration would make sure every citizen’s perspective counted and would push development that meaningfully improves daily life in communities across Zambia. He urged all Zambians, regardless of party, faith, tribe, gender, or economic standing, to unite behind both diligence and smart strategy in building the nation forward.

The centerpiece of his new term is what he’s calling the Grow Zambia Agenda, meant to carry forward the economic stabilization gains of his first term into a new phase centered on growth, wealth-building, employment, and broadly shared prosperity. He said his government would push harder on reform in mining, farming, tourism, and energy, paired with infrastructure and industrial development, to tap into the country’s economic capacity.

He also laid out a set of numeric targets guiding the term, dubbed 10-10-5-3-3-1-1-1, covering 10 million tonnes of maize production, 10,000 megawatts of power generation, five million annual tourist visits, three million tonnes each of copper and soybeans, a million tonnes each of wheat and sugar, and beef exports worth at least $1 billion.

He stressed that growth needs to show up concretely in people’s lives through employment for graduates, dependable markets for farmers, more room for business, and stronger revenue to fund ongoing development.

On social policy, Hichilema pointed to free schooling, better health services, a boosted Constituency Development Fund, and empowerment programs aimed at women and youth as key priorities. He noted that 2.6 million school-age children who had previously dropped out are now back in classrooms. He also promised to push more authority and funding down to local government so development reaches every part of Zambia, and he framed proportional representation as a way to bring more women, young people, and people with disabilities into governance.

Calling education the great equalizer, Hichilema called for continued investment in schooling, skills development, and healthcare, alongside a cultural shift that puts children and future generations at the heart of national planning. He also pledged continued modernization of the civil service, with better delivery, more digital tools, and stronger accountability and anti-corruption efforts, and told public officials to prioritize the national interest over personal gain.

On the international front, he said Zambia would keep pursuing economic diplomacy and regional stability while deepening ties with neighboring states, Africa, and the broader global community, positioning the country as a dependable, investment-friendly partner.

The inauguration unfolded against a tense backdrop. Hichilema had been declared the winner of the August 18 election with roughly 60% of the vote, per the Electoral Commission of Zambia, continuing the country’s largely peaceful electoral track record since multiparty rule returned in 1991. His closest rival, Brian Mundubile, took about 38% and disputed the outcome, alleging irregularities.

Days after the vote, security forces searched Mundubile‘s residence. He says he went into hiding fearing for his safety before he and running mate Makebi Zulu turned themselves in on August 24 after taking shelter at a United Nations building. Both are now held at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison on treason allegations, with courts closed to legal challenges of the election result during this period.

Heads of state from across the continent attended the ceremony, including Kenya‘s William Ruto, Botswana‘s Duma Boko, and Zimbabwe‘s Emmerson Mnangagwa.

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