President Hakainde Hichilema’s global recognition a testament to Zambia’s ‘New Dawn Transformation’

Monday, 29 December, 2025 Press Statement by United Party for National Development (UPND) Media Director Mark Simuuwe

President Hakainde Hichilema’s global recognition a testament to Zambia’s ‘New Dawn Transformation’

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has received with great pride and honour the international recognition accorded to Republican President, His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, by the respected British newspaper The Telegraph, which has named him among the world’s top leaders of 2025 alongside other distinguished global figures.

This recognition is not accidental. It is a direct reflection of President Hichilema’s transformative leadership, bold reforms and unwavering commitment to delivering tangible results for the people of Zambia.

Firstly, The Telegraph’s recognition speaks to Zambia’s groundbreaking social sector reforms, particularly the introduction of free education from Grade One (1) to Grade Twelve (12). Zambia became the first country in Southern Africa to implement free education at this scale, unlocking opportunities for millions of children regardless of their socio-economic background. Complementing this is the revitalised and fully sustained school feeding programme, which, although initiated in earlier years, lacked consistency. Under President Hichilema, the programme has been stabilised and expanded to all 116 districts, significantly improving school attendance, retention and nutrition outcomes.

Secondly, the President’s decisive leadership has revived a mining sector that had virtually collapsed under the previous administration, operating at below 30 percent capacity and resulting in the retrenchment of over 20,000 mine workers. In just three years, President Hichilema has restored investor confidence, reopened closed mines and repositioned the sector towards a production target of one million metric tonnes of copper by 2025, with an ambitious long-term vision of three million metric tonnes annually. Zambia has since emerged as one of the most stable and attractive mining and investment destinations globally.

Thirdly, policy realignment in the tourism sector has yielded remarkable results. Through relaxed visa regimes, improved marketing and enhanced investor confidence, tourist arrivals have surged from about 500,000 to over 2.2 million in under three years. This growth has translated into jobs, foreign exchange earnings and community development.

Fourthly, President Hichilema’s leadership during the devastating drought demonstrated resilience and effective governance. After declaring the drought a national disaster, the Government implemented timely interventions that ensured no Zambian died of hunger.
Remarkably, within twelve months, the country recorded a bumper harvest, underscoring strong coordination, planning and agricultural reforms.

Fifthly, Zambia’s macroeconomic recovery has attracted global admiration. The Kwacha has stabilised and rebounded two to three times, making it one of the best-performing currencies globally in recent years, an achievement rarely witnessed on the African continent. Foreign exchange reserves have increased from below one billion United States dollars to over five billion dollars in approximately three years, restoring confidence in the economy.

Sixthly, revenue mobilisation has significantly improved. The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has consistently surpassed its targets, notably exceeding the 2024 annual goal by K5.6 billion to collect K130.9 billion. In early 2025, ZRA collected K77.8 billion in the first half alone, outperforming projections and demonstrating enhanced efficiency even amid challenges such as drought.

Seventhly, prudent fiscal management has seen Zambia’s national budget become over 80 percent locally financed, a clear indicator of growing domestic resource mobilisation and reduced dependency.

Eighthly, within just three years, Zambia has witnessed the recruitment of over 42,000 teachers and more than 25,000 health workers, an unprecedented feat globally. During the same period, the European Union resumed direct budget support to Zambia, reflecting renewed international confidence in governance and financial discipline.

Above all, President Hichilema has restored political stability and the rule of law. The UPND Administration has decisively ended the culture of extra-judicial killings, gun violence and machete attacks that characterised the previous era. Judicial reforms have been strengthened, including the establishment of a fast-track Economic and Financial Crimes Court, which has resulted in significant asset recovery and forfeitures.

Press freedom has flourished, with no media house closed under the UPND Administration. The long-awaited Access to Information law has been enacted, the death penalty removed from the Penal Code, and Bill No. 7 passed into law to enhance inclusion of women, youth and marginalised groups in governance, marking a major milestone in Zambia’s constitutional reform journey. Further, the Government instituted a forensic audit at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMSA) to decisively end the pilferage of medicines and medical supplies.

The UPND further notes that this is not the first time President Hichilema has received international acclaim. Former President of Botswana, His Excellency Mr. Ian Khama, once described President Hichilema as the “best man” to lead Zambia through challenging times. Afrobarometer has also ranked Zambia as a standard-bearer for a stable and democratising country globally.

This recognition by The Telegraph affirms that Zambia is firmly back on the global stage, under principled, visionary and people-centred leadership. – Office of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Media Director