PARTY MEMBERS, LETS UNITE AND BE REMINDED OF THE 100 REASONS WHY ZAMBIANS WANT TO RE-ELECT PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HAKAINDE HICHILEMA IN AUGUST 2026
My fellow UPND members and beloved Zambians,
Today, as President Hakainde Hichilema successfully filed his nomination papers with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) alongside his able running mate, Madam Mutale Nalumango, I write to you not just as a former Member of Parliament, but as a Zambian who has witnessed transformation.
Since taking office in 2021, President Hichilema has delivered for you. Let us remember the good he has done. Let us set aside petty differences and march together to deliver over 5 million votes.
WHY ZAMBIANS WANT TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA
ECONOMY & DEBT RESTRUCTURING
1. Successfully secured IMF program approval.
2. Completed Eurobond debt restructuring.
3. Reduced domestic borrowing costs.
4. Stabilised the Kwacha after historic depreciation.
5. Lowered inflation from over 24% to below 9%.
6. Cleared over $800 million in arrears to contractors.
7. Restored investor confidence after years of uncertainty.
8. Reopened the Mopani Copper Mine deal with better terms.
9. Revitalised Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) under local management.
10. Increased mining royalties to benefit local communities.
11. Secured over $6 billion in debt cancellation/reprofiling.
12. Reduced fuel smuggling through border reforms.
13. Eliminated illegal parallel market rates.
14. Increased tax compliance through digitalisation.
15. Reduced expenditure on non-essential foreign travel.
ENERGY & POWER
1. Increased power generation capacity by 400+ MW.
2. Completed the Kafue Gorge Lower hydropower project.
3. Reduced load shedding from 12+ hours to near zero.
4. Commissioned the 100 MW Itezhi-Tezhi hydropower rehab.
5. Launched the 200 MW Solar PV projects in Copperbelt.
6. Attracted private investment in mini-grids for rural areas.
7. Reduced energy sector corruption in procurement.
8. Expanded rural electrification to 1,000+ new villages.
9. Completed the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) power interconnector.
10. Restructured ZESCO to be more efficient and accountable.
AGRICULTURE & FOOD SECURITY
1. Increased Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) beneficiaries by 30%.
2. Reduced maize prices through strategic reserves.
3. Revived the Zambia National Service farms for production.
4. Launched the Agro-Processing Initiative for value addition.
5. Secured affordable fertiliser through direct government negotiations.
6. Cleared outstanding payments to farmers within weeks (not years).
7. Increased fish farming production through aquaculture support.
8. Expanded irrigation schemes in Southern and Western Provinces.
9. Reduced crop post-harvest losses via new storage facilities.
10. Opened new livestock disease control zones for beef exports.
INFRASTRUCTURE & ROADS
1. Completed the Mongu-Kalabo Road (a long-standing promise).
2. Tarmacked over 3,000 km of rural feeder roads.
3. Rehabilitating the Great North Road to dual carriageway.
4. Completed the Link Zambia 8000 Phase 2 ahead of schedule.
5. Upgraded to some International Airport terminal.
6. Constructed modern bus stations in all provincial capitals.
7. Repaired over 100 collapsed bridges after 2023 floods.
8. Launched the Lusaka Ring Road Phase 2.
9. Completed Chisamba to Mumbwa road corridor.
10. Constructed new border posts at Nakonde and Kazungula.
HEALTHCARE
1. Built 30 new district hospitals in rural areas.
2. Reopened the Zambia National Public Health Institute.
3. Reduced maternal mortality by 25% through better clinics.
4. Employed 4,000 new nurses and clinical officers.
5. Completed 150 new health posts under Phase 3.
6. Cut average drug stock-out days from 90 to under 15.
7. Launched mobile health clinics for remote islands in Western Province.
8. Upgraded Levy Mwanawasa Hospital to handle complex surgeries.
9. Negotiated lower prices for cancer medicines.
10. Built the first-ever mental health inpatient facility in Ndola.
EDUCATION
1. Increased bursaries for university students by 100%.
2. Reintroduced free tertiary education for teacher and nurse training.
3. Completed 200 new secondary schools in rural districts.
4. Reduced pupil-to-textbook ratio from 12:1 to 5:1.
5. Removed school fees.
6. Launched the Skills Development Fund for youth training.
7. Revamped the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) system.
8. Increased teacher salaries by 30% to stop brain drain.
9. Built new hostels at University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU).
10. Digitalised examination results to end grade-leaking scandals.
GOVERNANCE & ANTI-CORRUPTION
1. Launched the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2022-2026).
2. Recovered over $100 million in stolen assets.
3. Increased Auditor General’s office funding and independence.
4. Prosecuted high-profile corrupt officials regardless of party affiliation.
5. Passed the Access to Information Act (after decades of delay).
6. Reduced presidential foreign travel costs by 40%.
7. Published all mining and oil contracts online.
8. Declassified tender processes for government procurement.
9. Appointed a woman as Chief Justice for the first time.
10. Resolved the Ben Konambe case and paid compensation.
SOCIAL PROTECTION
1. Increased Social Cash Transfer coverage to over 2 million households.
2. Doubled the monthly cash transfer amount to K800 and the disabled receive over K1000.
3. Launched the Food Security Pack for rural women.
4. Provided drought relief to over 500,000 affected families (2024).
5. Expanded school feeding programmes to all 10 provinces.
6. Built 50 new safe shelters for gender-based violence survivors.
7. Launched the Disability Empowerment Fund.
8. Increased public service pension payouts after years of arrears.
9. Subsidised maize meal during 2025 drought.
10. Created a Youth Enterprise Fund with low-interest loans.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY
1. Restored Zambia’s standing in SADC and AU.
2. Attracted over $10 billion in new foreign direct investment pledges.
3. Opened new embassies in Angola and DRC for trade access.
4. Signed the Lobito Corridor rail agreement with US and EU.
5. Hosted the successful SADC Summit in Livingstone (2025).
6. Negotiated visa-free travel with 5 new African countries.
7. Secured $500 million from World Bank for digital transformation.
8. Rejoined the extraction industries transparency initiative (EITI).
9. Mediated peace talks in eastern DRC.
10. Brought back the Zambia-China friendship with better loan terms.
TOURISM, YOUTH & OTHER
1. Recorded highest-ever tourist arrivals (2.5 million in 2025).
2. Rebranded Zambia as “Real Africa, Real Experience.”
3. Launched a Youth Livestock Program in Southern Province.
4. Constructed 500,000 boreholes in water-scarce districts.
5. Reduced national poverty rate by 7% in four years (World Bank report).
NOW, A WORD ON UNITY
My fellow members, I know what it feels like to have a big following and still not be adopted. I, Oliver Mumbuna Amutike, was not chosen to stand as MP for Mongu Central in the last primary. Yes, I had support. Yes, I worked hard to wish to be adopted but I accepted the party’s decision because UPND is bigger than any individual.
Democracy means only one candidate can be adopted at a given time. We chose our candidates not because others are not capable but because unity is our greatest weapon.
Let those nursing grievances learn from me: I am here today, working for the President’s re-election, because the mission is bigger than my ambition.
Let us give the President more than 5 million votes, a record that will silence the opposition forever.
Forward ever, UPND. God bless Zambia.
Issued by Hon. Oliver Mumbuna Amutike (Former MP, Mongu Central)