Hakainde Hichilema

President, Zambia

President Hakainde Hichilema on Zambia's national reserve and debt restructuring

📅 Jun 28, 2026 Samson-The RoadMan 🇿🇲 51 MIN 23096 VIEWS 32 SEGMENTS · 5 SPEAKERS

#upnd #upndrally #hakaindehichilema #hakaindehichilema #zambianpolitics President Hakainde Hichilema launched the upnd campaign today.

What Hakainde Hichilema said

Written from the verified transcript and checked against it. Every figure links to the moment it was said.

Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia, launched his 2026 re-election campaign at Heroes Stadium, emphasizing national unity and rejecting divisions. He acknowledged ongoing challenges but highlighted achievements since 2021: free education now law, with 2.5 million children back in school and over 45,000 teachers employed. He claimed mines are restored, projecting nearly 1 million tons of copper this year and over $4 billion in earnings. He noted the Kwacha was voted the world's best-performing currency. On debt restructuring, he said annual debt service fell from $2.3 billion to $900 million, saving $1.4 billion yearly. He announced a mixed-member parliament ensuring 20 additional women, 15 youth, and people with disabilities. He urged supporters to campaign and vote on August 13.

Key takeaways

Debt restructuring cut annual debt service from $2.3 billion to $900 million, saving $1.4 billion per year.
Free education is now law, with 2.5 million children returned to school and over 45,000 teachers employed.
Copper production is projected to reach nearly 1 million tons this year, earning over $4 billion.
A mixed-member parliament will add 20 women, 15 youth, and people with disabilities after elections.
Election day is August 13; Hichilema urged massive voter turnout.

Numbers and commitments

Figure	What it refers to	Type	At
$2.3 billion	annual debt service before restructuring	metric	45:26
$900 million	annual debt service after restructuring	metric	45:26
$1.4 billion	annual savings from debt restructuring	metric	45:26
2.5 million	children returned to school under free education	metric	28:26
45,000	teachers employed	metric	28:26
1 million tons	projected copper production this year	guidance	30:17
$4 billion	projected copper earnings this year	guidance	30:17
20	additional women in parliament after elections	commitment	41:55
15	youth in parliament after elections	commitment	41:55
August 13	election day	timeline	48:23

Chapters

0:00Campaign launch and unity message
24:28Gratitude and 2021 mandate
28:26Free education and teacher employment
30:17Mining recovery and copper earnings
32:09Kwacha performance and economic literacy
39:49Meal allowances and school feeding
41:55Mixed-member parliament and inclusion
45:26Debt restructuring savings
48:23Call to campaign and vote

Hakainde Hichilema 0:00 ↗

You know today is a special day. Today we are launching our campaign in a different way. The campaign is taking a different gear.

Samson the Roadman 0:44 ↗

All right, guys. Welcome and welcome back to my YouTube channel. My name is Samson the Roadman, and today, guys, we're here at the official launch of these campaigns for 2026. As you know, Zambia will be holding their general elections in August 2026. So the UPND have actually decided to make this an official launch today right at the Heroes Stadium. So what you can see here is actually the Heroes Stadium, and basically, because of the massive masses that are expected here, they can't have it like in the stadium, but they're going to have it right here outside. So basically, a couple of people, a number of people actually that have gathered so far, hundreds of people that have gathered so far. So we're here and we're actually going to walk you around and show you guys what is happening here at the launch of these campaigns for the UPND. Okay. So, this is where we are, and if you're new here, kindly consider subscribing, turn on the bell notification so that whenever I do post a new video, you won't miss any single upload of mine. My name is Samson the Roadman. Let's get started.

All right, guys. Let's start our video from here. What you can see here is, of course, we're at the National Heroes Stadium, but this is the Great North Road. This is the highway. So this way is where the Lusaka CBD is, and this road takes you all the way to the Copperbelt, which is on this other side. So basically, this is where we are today. And on this other side, there's a big stage that has been set up for the UPND launch of the campaigns for the 2026 general elections that are actually coming up. So we are here and we are going to be witnessing this amazing launch. So yeah, stay tuned, be with us as we are actually showing you around what is happening at the UPND launch, or should I say the campaign launch. Yes. So we're here, and on the other side is Mandevu, of course, Mandevu constituency, which is a very big constituency, one of the big constituencies that we have in this country actually. So yeah, it is what it is. Let's just get to show you around, and a lot of people are expected to be here today.

So I'm going to walk you around from this side, and then we're going to move closer to where the stage is. So if you're here, please subscribe, subscribe, subscribe, you know. So after five years, the President of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, is seeking re-election, and today he's actually launching his campaign with this massive rally that is being held here at the Heroes Stadium. So, yeah, just watch out and you can see. I'm actually going to stand at the far end of it and show you guys the masses that have come together here at the Heroes Stadium. Okay. So, of course, you can hear a lot of noise, but basically, a lot of people are here right now. Supposed to get a better view, we are going to shoot from this other side. Okay, you guys come and see from this other side.

Okay, just get some supporters there that are able to use the slogan for the president to sort out. So basically this has been adopted.

Okay, guys. I think I can't do you justice. I guess if I had a drone, but I'm going to stand at the far end of this and show you guys how massive it is. So, come show you from the other side. So the camera is just—my drone view, my artificial drone view is not enough. But let me see if I can stand at the far end and show you guys how massive this is. Okay. Okay. So, let's look from this other side. So, there's a group here from Youth for—okay, that's a good one. Thank you for—okay. So I'm trying to show you from this other side. I show you how it is from this other side. So you're welcome to show this Heroes Stadium over there. Of course, that's the famous Heroes Stadium. Happening all over the country. So, I'm trying to show you guys from the area.

So that's the honorable president speaking on the podium of Zambia, who is coming back on the 13th in 2026. He's coming back. Whatever happens, he's coming back.

Speaker 9:52 ↗

Mr. President, it is important to take a walk into the past to compare and contrast where we are coming from and where we are.

Samson the Roadman 10:03 ↗

All right, guys. So, basically, I'm just going to get closer and maybe get to the stage from there, what is going on.

Speaker 13:24 ↗

Thank you very much.

Host 17:31 ↗

And there he does it in. Ladies and gentlemen, the President showing us how he has done what we do. Organized. Zambia, let's see your hands.

Hakainde Hichilema 18:48 ↗

Zambia. Zambia. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Let's be together. Let's be together, guys, together. Everybody see.

Audience Member 19:34 ↗

Everybody see.

8 more exchanges in this transcript

Cite this transcript

APA, MLA, BibTeX

APA

Hichilema, H. (2026, June 28). President Hakainde Hichilema on Zambia's national reserve and debt restructuring [Interview transcript]. Samson-The RoadMan 🇿🇲. CEOInterviews.AI. https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1311045/

MLA

Hakainde Hichilema. "President Hakainde Hichilema on Zambia's national reserve and debt restructuring." Samson-The RoadMan 🇿🇲, 28 Jun. 2026. Transcript, CEOInterviews.AI, https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1311045/.

BibTeX

@misc{hichilema2026_1311045,
  author       = {Hakainde Hichilema},
  title        = {President Hakainde Hichilema on Zambia's national reserve and debt restructuring},
  howpublished = {Interview transcript, Samson-The RoadMan 🇿🇲. CEOInterviews.AI},
  year         = {2026},
  month        = {jun},
  url          = {https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1311045/},
  note         = {Speaker-attributed transcript with timestamps}
}

▶

Key Quotes (2)

“When you do your quick numbers, copper alone by the end of this year we will be earning over $4 billion.”

▶ 31:54 POLICY

“Before debt restructuring, we are supposed to be paying $2.3 billion per year saving debt only. After we came in, we did the debt restructuring, now we are only paying $900 million per year. We have saved $1.9 billion per year.”

▶ 45:38 POLICY

Mentioned in this interview

UPND: Hichilema's party, launching its 2026 campaign at Heroes Stadium.

Bweengwa: His home village, referenced in the journey to the presidency.

Plot One: Zambian term for the presidency, where he was placed by voters.

Chile One: Singer referenced in the phrase 'from Bweengwa to Plot One.'

Moses: Biblical figure used to illustrate not returning to past hardship.

Earlier, on the same topics

“We need to work to keep the gains that we have made in the last 4 years and 10 months. We do we do not need to move backwards. We need to keep our children in school. Free education which we've made into law now.”

free education · Jun 13, 2026 at 8:45 →

“We were in a difficult situation as an economy here. And our agenda, and remains so, was to reconstruct the economy, and we had to deal with lots of things, debt restructuring, um basically, drought, and a number of other challenges, but uh we always knew that we kept our flag high about our intent,”

debt restructuring · Mar 18, 2026 at 2:19 →

“Your country is on the verge of takeoff. We've done the heavy lifting. Debt restructuring, heavy lifting. Restoring the mines, heavy lifting. Taking mines out of litigation in London, heavy lifting. Working on energy, I think chairman you touched on energy, heavy lifting.”

debt restructuring · Mar 31, 2026 at 43:36 →

“No family is not benefiting from free education. The whole country. No family is not benefiting from CDF. 40 million.”

free education · Apr 12, 2026 at 1:51:20 →

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About Hakainde Hichilema

Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in for a second term as President of Zambia on September 1, 2026, at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka. In his inaugural address, he described his administration as moving "from stabilization to growth" and outlined a policy framework he called the "10 10 5 3 3 1 1 1 vision," which sets targets including 10 million tons of maize, 10,000 megawatts of electricity, 5 million tourist arrivals, 3 million tons of copper, and $1 billion in beef exports. He stated that the goal of this agenda is to triple the size of Zambia's economy during his five-year term. He also acknowledged that many families still face challenges with the cost of living and said the benefits of economic stabilization have not yet been felt at every level. In the period leading up to the inauguration, Hichilema spoke about his first-term record, citing debt restructuring, a return of 2.6 million children to school, and increased maize production. During an August 2026 BBC interview, he said his government inherited a "broken down country" and had delivered on restructuring debt with a saving of $1.9 billion per year. He also visited Zimbabwe in late August 2026, where he described Zambia and Zimbabwe as "Siamese twins" and called for deeper cooperation on shared resources, including joint management of mineral deposits and development of the Batoka Gorge hydroelectric project. In November 2025, he received an honorary doctorate in agribusiness from Mulongushi University and spoke about his background in cattle ranching, setting a target of $1 billion in beef exports by 2030.

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