His Excellency, Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia is a celebrated economist, successful farmer, businessmen and politician who has emerged as an exemplary leader on the continent of Africa, demonstrating unmatched probity, integrity and accountability in governance. He is a shinning light in a continent beset by preponderance of avaricious leadership.
A visionary leader who was genuinely concerned about the continued slide in Zambia’s economic and social outcomes, the 61-year-old opted to take leave from the business world where he had made his mark, and join partisan politics, knowing that he could best reverse the trend by the judicious use of public wealth for public good.
But confronting an entrenched corrupt system is never an easy task. Despite his best intentions, Hichilema met stiff obstacles, and soon came face to face with a brutal corrupt system that has held most of the countries in the continent down. In April 2017, he was arrested on trumped-up treason charges and subsequently sent to jail. However, amid pressure by citizens and continental leaders who rightly saw the treason charge as a political witch hunt, he was released from jail in August that same year and charges subsequently dropped.
Struck down but not defeated, Hichilema like most great leaders in history, persisted and fought even harder. Having contested five previous presidential elections between 2006 and 2016 before his arrest, he took another shot and eventually emerged victorious at the 6th time of asking in 2021.
In power, President Hichilema has set an example of incorruptibility, integrity and probity. His gospel of living within one’s means as a public office holder, and using public money for public good has gained momentum. Again, although he was elected on the platform of United Party for National Development, the platform he led since 2006 following the death of its founder, Anderson Mazoka, Hichilema gathered a team of qualified Zambians irrespective party affiliations or tribal divide. The result is what we celebrate today.
Despite inheriting an economy dangerously spiraling out of control, amid prevailing global challenges, H.E Hichilema has in two years remarkably halted the slide and ushered Zambia’s economy back to the path of growth. He has restored long-term debt sustainability and reinvigorated Zambia’s economy, making it one of the fastest growing economies on the continent.
Zambia is ranked the 8th most competitive country in Africa on the Global Competitiveness Index and whilst in its recently released report, Forbes Magazine ranked Zambia the 7th best country with the ease of doing business among 54 African countries.
An alumnus of the University of Zambia and University of Birmingham, President Hichilema served as the chief executive officer of both Coopers and Lybrand Zambia between 1994 and 1998, and Grant Thornton Zambia between 1998 and 2006 before assuming leadership of the United Party for National Development.
President Hichilema’s leadership construct and political sagacity has marked him out as an outstanding political leader on the continent.
