President Hakainde Hichilema has called on members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) structures and the general public to remain united and vote for him along with the adopted party candidates in the forthcoming August elections.
Speaking on arrival in Choma today, President Hichilema said the country has made significant developmental gains under the New Dawn Administration which must be protected through continued support for the ruling party.
“We have a huge task ahead of us to protect the good policies that we have introduced, such as free education and enhanced Constituency Development Fund (CDF),” President Hichilema said.
The Head of State urged party members to put aside differences arising from the adoption process and rally behind candidates selected to represent the party.
“There were adoptions, but now that we are here, we need to move together. Let us maintain peace and unity. Let us support the candidates that have been adopted so that we continue serving the people of Zambia,” he said.
President Hichilema stressed the importance of safeguarding the country’s democratic gains and maintaining the peaceful political environment that Zambia has enjoyed in recent years.
“We need to maintain the peace we have achieved over the years, where we have moved away from political violence and attacks on citizens because of their political affiliation,” he said.
The President noted that while his government has recorded notable achievements, more work remains to be done, particularly in addressing the cost of living and improving livelihoods.
“We know there is still a lot of work to be done. We need to continue working on lowering the cost of living and creating more opportunities for our people,” he said.
President Hichilema further highlighted the country’s agricultural performance, stating that Zambia is expecting a bumper harvest of about five million metric tonnes of maize this year.
The President attributed some of the government’s achievements to prudent economic management, citing debt restructuring and improvements in the country’s economic outlook.
“We repaid and restructured the debt burden that was left behind and put the country back on a stable path. We must continue on this journey of economic recovery and growth,” he said.
 President Hichilema also defended key government programmes, including free education, which he said has enabled thousands of children to return to school and facilitated the recruitment of over 40,000 teachers.
“That is why we have been able to employ over 40,000 teachers and ensure that children have access to education through the free education policy,” he said.
The Head of State urged voters to support UPND candidates at all levels during the elections, saying effective development requires cooperation between the presidency, Members of Parliament, mayors and councilors.
“The President does not work alone. We need Members of Parliament, mayors and councilors who will work together to deliver development to the people,” he said.
He thanked Zambians for their continued support and reaffirmed his commitment to serving the nation.
“I came to serve the people of Zambia. We care for the people of this country and will continue working hard to improve their lives,” he said.
Thousands of residents from Choma and surrounding areas turned up to welcome the President during his working visit to Southern Province.
President Hichilema later held a closed door meeting with party officials and all UPND adopted candidates.
Continued development where?