🇿🇲 EXCLUSIVE | Hichilema Commissions Hospital, “Treason Road” in Western Province as Crowds Turn Out in Stronghold
President Hakainde Hichilema has begun a two-day working visit to Western Province, receiving a warm and energetic reception as crowds flooded the streets to welcome him in what remains one of his strongest political bases.
Supporters lined up along major roads in Mongu and surrounding areas, waving party regalia and chanting as the Head of State arrived shortly after 11:00 hours.
Western Province is regarded as a traditional stronghold for the President, where electoral support has consistently remained firm.
During the visit, President Hichilema commissioned two key projects anchored in both development and personal history.
He officially opened the Hakainde Hichilema Mini-Hospital in Kalangu, a Level One health facility built using private family resources. The hospital includes a maternity wing, pharmacy, and separate wards, and is expected to improve access to healthcare for surrounding communities.
Reflecting on the project, the President linked it to his 2017 incarceration, saying, “We wanted to build something that would be remembered; something that stands as a testament to what we endured.”
The Head of State also commissioned the rehabilitated 14.5-kilometre Mongu–Limulunga Road, a key economic route in the province. The road carries historical significance, as it was along this stretch that he was involved in the 2017 motorcade incident that led to his arrest on treason charges.
“It is along this very route that we were once charged on trumped-up charges. Today… it is a profoundly happy and symbolic moment,” President Hichilema said.
He added that beyond its history, the road will serve as “a vital economic lifeline,” supporting the Kuomboka ceremony and improving access to markets and opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, and trade.
The President remains in Mongu for the remainder of his two-day visit, where he is expected to continue engagements and inspect development projects across the province.
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