Hichilema Calls for Unity and Development in Meeting with Chiefs
President Hakainde Hichilema has reaffirmed his administration’s partnership with traditional leaders, urging them to continue fostering unity and stability as the foundation for Zambia’s development agenda. Addressing hundreds of chiefs from across the country at the Mulungushi International Conference Center, he stressed that Zambia’s prosperity depends on collective purpose, peace, and sustained hard work.
The Head of State described the gathering as both cordial and frank, noting that it was an opportunity to exchange views openly while reinforcing a shared national mission. He reminded traditional leaders that their role extends beyond preserving culture and heritage, pointing out that they are central to nurturing harmony within their chiefdoms and bridging divides across the nation.
Hichilema emphasized that unity is indispensable for channeling national energy into growth. “Our Chiefs should continue fostering love and harmony within their chiefdoms and across the nation, because only in unity can we truly build a prosperous Zambia,” he told the assembly.
Reviewing his government’s performance over the past four years, the President highlighted achievements he considers critical to laying a strong economic foundation. He cited the restoration of the rule of law, the successful restructuring of Zambia’s external debt, and the rebuilding of business credibility and investor confidence. According to him, these milestones have repositioned the country on a path toward sustainable growth.
Yet he cautioned that development cannot thrive in an environment of discord or complacency. Peace, unity, and hard work, he said, must remain the driving forces of national transformation. He urged traditional leaders to see themselves not as adversaries of government but as partners in charting a shared future.
Part of that future, he added, rests on reviving agriculture at community level. Hichilema called for renewed effort to encourage farming households to work harder while adopting a culture of storing surplus harvests for consumption between seasons. Such resilience, he argued, would reduce hunger, stabilize families, and improve long-term food security.
The President concluded by underscoring the administration’s mission to uplift all communities without leaving anyone behind. He reiterated that traditional leaders have an enduring role in mobilizing citizens, fostering unity, and reinforcing values of self-reliance and discipline that underpin national progress.
By positioning chiefs as development partners and linking unity with economic stability, Hichilema is not only reaffirming the government’s policy direction but also appealing directly to the grassroots through trusted custodians of tradition. The message reflects his broader strategy of building consensus around Zambia’s reform path and ensuring that reforms translate into tangible benefits for households across the country.