President Hakainde Hichilema has formally launched his campaign for a second term, addressing supporters outside Lusaka’s National Heroes Stadium in what organisers are calling the largest gathering in UPND’s history.
The rally marked the ruling party’s opening salvo in the race to the August 13 general election, with Hichilema using the platform to defend his administration’s economic record against mounting criticism from the opposition Tonse Alliance over the cost of living and the management of the country’s foreign reserves.
The President argued that a stable economy is the foundation for the social programmes his government has championed, pointing to the free education policy that has returned more than 2.5 million children to school and the recruitment of over 45,000 teachers since 2021. He also highlighted the expansion of the Constituency Development Fund from K1.6 million to K40 million per constituency.
Looking to the next term, Hichilema laid out a set of national production targets for 2031: 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation, 10 million metric tonnes of maize, five million tourist arrivals, three million tonnes of copper, one million tonnes of wheat, and US$1 billion in annual beef exports. He projected the mining sector alone would generate more than US$14 billion in copper sales by the end of 2026.
While striking a confident tone on the economy, the President acknowledged that many Zambian households are still feeling financial pressure, saying his government continues working to bring down the cost of living. He closed by calling for national unity heading into the campaign season, warning against efforts to divide the country along regional or political lines.
The launch draws the starting line for what is expected to be one of the most closely contested elections in Zambia’s recent history, with just over six weeks remaining until voters go to the polls.