HH unveils plan to double Zambia’s economy via new UPND manifesto
…..details targets for power, copper, agric
By DAVID KANDUZA
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema officially launched the UPND 2026-2031 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Positioned ahead of the general elections scheduled for August 13, 2026, the newly unveiled roadmap marks the next phase of the New Dawn administration, shifting focus from baseline economic stabilisation toward massive wealth generation.
The centerpeice of the 2026–2031 manifesto is a bold strategic formula targeted at generating an additional US65 billion in economic value.
The numerical pillars of the plan breakdown as follows:
10 Gigawatts of power generation.
10 Million Tonnes of maize production.
5 Million international tourist arrivals.
3 Million Tonnes of copper production.
3 Million Tonnes of soya bean production.
1 Million Tonnes of wheat production.
$1 Billion USD in beef exports.
Agriculture: Building on previous electronic voucher rollouts under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), the administration plans to aggressively scale up irrigation systems to protect food security from rain-dependent fluctuations.
Energy Security: Prioritizing massive investments in renewable sectors like solar farms alongside hydro infrastructure to reach the 10GW power threshold.
Mining & Economy: Capitalizing on the stabilized mining sector—particularly through partnerships in copper and cobalt smelters—and leveraging the fiscal space created by the country’s recent $1.4 billion debt restructuring savings.
Social & Governance: Safeguarding and continuing the administration’s flagship legislations, such as the newly signed Free Education Act and localized development funding via the expanded Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
The launch brings together UPND Alliance partners and national party structures to pivot into active grassroots mobilization and voter registration across Zambia’s provinces.