by the Editor Zambia
President Hichilema’s Parliamentary Address Sets Zambia’s Course Beyond 2026.
President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent address to Parliament was more than just a routine update. 
It was a masterclass in leadership, direction, and clarity.
The well-structured speech not only mapped out Zambia’s recovery and growth trajectory but also left the opposition with nothing meaningful to say against it.
Even those who are usually hostile to the government were forced to acknowledge the strength of the message. U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales, often a candid critic, described the speech as “well-structured, with a clear economic direction that inspires confidence in Zambia’s reforms.”
Former Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) President, Dr. Lubinda Habazooka echoed the same sentiments: “This was a statesman’s speech. It laid down what has been achieved and pointed, with clarity, to where Zambia is headed.”
- Economy and Jobs
The President detailed how his administration has pulled the economy back from the brink of collapse left by the previous regime. Inflation has stabilised, debt restructuring is underway, and more resources are being directed to productive sectors.
The President emphasised job creation through industrial growth, mining reforms, and agriculture mechanisation. For the common man, this translates into more opportunities in farms, factories, and SMEs, not just talk of “empowerment” that never materialised in the past.
The opposition, led by a capitalist in socialist skin, Fred M’membe and his allies, attempted to dismiss these strides but ended up exposing their emptiness. When pressed on specifics, they could not offer alternatives beyond recycled slogans.
- Agriculture and Food Security
The President’s focus on diversifying agriculture and reducing dependency on maize alone is a bold step. With climate change hitting hard, his plan to promote irrigation schemes, crop diversification, and value addition is the difference between recurring hunger and lasting food security.
Compare this to the opposition’s “criticism” which amounts to nothing more than lamentations without solutions.
Outspoken but without substance, Kelvin Fube Bwalya of the Zambia Must Prosper party was grilled “to zero ashes” by Diamond TV’s Coaster Mwansa when he failed to justify why he was attacking a vision that clearly supports the smallholder farmer.
- Education and Health
The free education policy, once dismissed as impossible, is now a reality. Thousands of children from poor families are back in school. Teachers and health workers have been recruited in record numbers. For the woman in trading markets or the bus conductor, this means their children can aspire to become tomorrow’s doctors, engineers, and leaders without the burden of crushing school fees.
- Infrastructure and Development
From feeder roads to bridges and hospitals, the government’s infrastructure push is aimed at rural inclusion.
Development is no longer concentrated in Lusaka alone. This is the vision of “One Zambia” in practice.
- Good Governance and Accountability
Where the opposition thrived on patronage and corruption, the new dawn government has restored fiscal discipline and transparency.
The President reassured citizens that resources are now going where they matter the most, schools, clinics, and community projects.
Where We Are and Where We Are Going After 2026
Right now, Zambia is at the turning point. The debt has stabilised, social services have improved, and investment confidence is rising.
After 2026, the trajectory is clear, more jobs, stronger industries, better infrastructure, and a Zambia where every citizen can feel the benefits of growth.
President Hichilema summed it up best: this is not about politics but about building a nation that works for all. The opposition, once again, is left clinging to empty rhetoric.
In the end, the speech did what great leadership speeches should do: it gave direction, hope, and confidence. As Dr. Habazooka rightly noted, “This is the kind of clarity investors, citizens, and future generations need.”
The opposition can complain all it wants, but Zambians know progress when they see it.
There’s no doubt President Hakainde Hichilema is already proving to be the best Zambia has ever had in that position.
By mid his second term of office, President Hichilema would have transformed Zambia into a destination of successful economic growth that would inspire many across the globe.
