President Hakainde Hichilema has officially been sworn in for a second five-year term as Zambia’s Head of State.
The inauguration ceremony was held at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, following his victory in the August 13, 2026 presidential election.
.
President Hichilema was sworn in alongside Vice-President Mutale Nalumango, marking the start of his administration’s second term in office.
The ceremony was attended by several regional and international dignitaries, including Kenyan President William Ruto, Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Botswana’s President Duma Boko and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
In his inauguration speech, President Hichilema pledged to shift Zambia’s economic focus from stabilization to expansion, with his second-term administration targeting increased production, job creation and broader economic opportunities.
The President acknowledged that the benefits of the economic stabilization achieved during his first term have not yet been fully felt by ordinary citizens, as many households continue to face a high cost of living.
“We know that for many families, the cost of living has remained challenging, and that the benefits of our stabilization have not yet been felt at every level. We hear you,” President Hichilema said.
He stated that the next five years would be centred on growth, expansion, opportunity and prosperity, building on the economic reforms implemented during his first term.
President Hichilema stressed that his administration would work closely with the private sector to implement an ambitious reform agenda focused on expanding key productive sectors of the economy.
He identified mining, agriculture, tourism and energy as priority sectors, while also pledging to accelerate infrastructure development and industrial transformation.
The President said the strategy would be anchored on the flagship Grow Zambia Agenda, which has set ambitious production targets of 10 million tonnes of maize, 10,000 megawatts of electricity, five million tourists, three million tonnes of copper and three million tonnes of soya.
The agenda also targets production of one million tonnes each of wheat and sugar, as well as generating one billion United States dollars in beef export revenue.
“No matter how good-hearted one may be, you cannot share poverty. We must grow the economy so that there is more for every Zambian to share and to redistribute,” President Hichilema added.
President Hichilema further stated that the economic expansion strategy is aimed at more than doubling the size of Zambia’s economy while creating additional jobs, expanding business opportunities and increasing government revenue.
