By Mwansa Kaumba
Zimbabwean President Emerson Mnangagwa says President Hakainde Hichilema’s resounding victory is testament of the faith and trust Zambians have in his astute leadership.
And President Hichilema has called for mindset change among Zambians and vowed to attack the ‘tantameni’ culture of handouts.
And Kenyan President William Ruto said he is confident that President Hichilema will use the mandate given to him to govern for the benefit of those who voted for him and against him during the August 13 general elections.
In his address during the inauguration of President Hichilema to his second and final term of office yesterday, President Mnangagwa, in his unique accent, said he was honoured to celebrate another milestone of the celebration of democracy in Zambia.
”Your resounding victory and that of the party you lead, the UPND, is testament for their faith and trust in your astute leadership,” he said.
He thanked President Hichilema for Zambia’s support towards Zimbabwe’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
President Mnangagwa said Africans must not apologise for being sovereign and independent.
And President Hichilema promised to triple Zambia’s economy and he indicated that he was moving from the stabililisation of his ‘new dawn’ first term to growth in his final term.
He said he was confident of tripling the size of Zambia’s economy after he doubled it in his first term.
President Hichilema called for a mindset change of handouts, vowing to attack it consciously.
He said he was birthing the “grow Zambia agenda.”
President Hichilema said he welcomed the support of those who voted for him with a clear understanding of the mandate placed in his shoulders.
He also said he respected and valued those who voted for his opponents as democracy does not require people to agree on everything.
”Whatever our choices we remain one people,” President Hichilema said, adding that those who voted against UPND were not enemies but fellow Zambians.
He said democracy was strongest when people respected institutions.
President Hichilema said in his first term he worked to successfully restructure debt and managed to stabilise the economy. He said international reserves had reached their highest level since independence, inflation was lowest in 8 years and that the government was stabilised.
”We know many of our families have issues with the cost of living and that the benefits of our stabilisation have not yet been felt at every level,” President Hichilema said.
The President said he would push for diversification in mining, tourism, energy, infrastructure and other sectors, all in the efforts towards tripling the economy.
He promised to serve all Zambians regardless of their ethnicity, religion and race, and urged that above all the nation must remain One Zambia One Nation.
President Hichilema said the administration had already structured what each province should focus on according to its resource endowment.
”I will continue to be a servant President for the people of Zambia,” he said.
He said he was extending a hand to the opposition, saying political competition should not reach a point where “it involves life and death.”
”The pursuit of political power must never come at the expense of peace and security,” said President Hichilema.
Meanwhile, President Ruto said elections would always produce winners and losers, saying when the contest was over the nation must remain united.
He said the question that confronted African forefathers like Dr Kenneth Kaunda was whether Africa could be free, and they managed to end colonialism and apartheid.
President Ruto said his generation must find ways of what to do with the continents abundant resource endowment.
He said people did not just vote for the sake of voting but because they wanted solutions.
”Africa can’t develop if every election becomes national uncertainty … We must compete without becoming enemies. Our politics must never become more important than our countries,” President Ruto.
He said the continent had been exporting minerals and other commodities only to import them at a premium, but said that would change through “courageous leadership” like that of President Hichilema.
”I can say with confidence you are well on your course,” said President Ruto.
