HH address the Nation after being RE-ELECTED Zambia's President

And fellow citizens, today the Electoral Commission of Zambia declared our 2026 general presidential election results. We stand before you with profound humility and gratitude to accept the mandate that you've given us yet to continue serving you, the people of Zambia. Our first words are that of thank you. Thank you very much to all of you for making a decision, this dramatic historic decision to allow us to continue serving you for another term of 5 years, God willing. We thank the almighty God whose grace has sustained our nation and preserved our peace. We thank the millions of Zambians who stood patiently in queues to exercise their democratic right to vote. We thank the millions of Zambians who again as citizens have taken a clear direction of what they want their country to be. And this is what our democracy is all about. Choices of those that are to serve us for a period of time. In our case, 5 years. Thank you to you, the people of Zambia. Zambians have again demonstrated your love for democracy, your maturity, your resolve to make decisions such as to elect your leaders peacefully without exercising what I call negative behavior. Veering on the side of negative behavior. We thank the Electoral Commission, the men and women in the commission that have worked so hard to deliver this election. It's a challenge to run an election like ours. This is It's complicated. It's not as simple as people think from the outside. So, we thank them for that. All of them without exception. Leadership chair, commission, the staff, executive to staff, and those support staff that were recruited to support the process in well over 13,500 polling stations. We had citizens, I think numbering over 80,000 in total, or thereabouts, working to deliver this election. Thank you to you all. We thank you and respect the choice that you make as a people. Democracy, as I said, is there to guide us in a civilized way. And anything short of making decisions in a civilized way cannot serve this country. Not for a day, not for a month, not for any period longer than that, because it will not sustain or it will not be sustained. Here is the message. Whether you voted for this candidate then and now president-elect, and still running as president under our constitution until he's sworn in, so there's no gap that obtains in our constitutional arrangement, it does not matter. You exercised your right to vote, to choose a leader you believe will serve you to the best of, you know, your needs. So, we say to all of you, you equal citizens, those who voted for us, those who didn't, you are equal citizens. There's no discriminatory understanding of who voted and they are favored. Those who didn't vote for us, they're not favored. The process allows us to elect leaders, yes. But once a leader is elected, you serve all of the people of Zambia fairly, equitably. And that's what we demonstrated that we are able to do after the 2021 elections. We delivered free education to all our citizens across board without choice or segregation. We have delivered CDF to build new classrooms, desks, water and sanitation, more teachers to help improve the pupil-teacher ratio, lower that contrary to what it used to be years uh years back when a teacher may have to say 150 pupils, now the number is getting less and less as we continue to employ more teachers so that we can further improve the quality of education for all our children. But the most important thing is that our children have access to education, which they could not before. Many of our children were out of school. How do we know? Once we introduce the free education policy following our promises before 2021, we saw incrementally up to 2.6 million children have come back to school. Including those who were elderly and could not complete their school for whatever reasons, but the circumstances did not allow. Some could have been financial. Some could have been maybe a girl child got pregnant at grade nine or so, but we have allowed our policy has allowed any citizen to return to school, young, middle-aged, or whatever age. This is important, fellow citizen. And you know what I've always said, education is the best investment, it's the best equalizer and inheritance. And it's happening in your country. So, may I say 5 years ago you entrusted us with this responsibility. And in many cases we walked, majority of the cases overwhelming cases, we walked the talk. I've just cited free education. I'll cite another example, debt restructuring. We committed to you that the debt mountain, the default which was occasioned by those who were in office before us, was choking us as as a people. Like a python around our necks, waist and legs. Well, we've been able to unravel and wrap that python now. And we've created headroom, space, revenue savings, 1.9 billion dollars of savings per year from debt savings. And that's the money we've been able to apply in free education, enhancing CDF, and sustaining even things that we had not offered initially, examination fees being now taken care of by the government, your government. This is how we see public public office, to serve you better without segregation, without exception. May I say that the decision that you made or you make the few days ago on the 13th of August to re-elect us in the office is a serious show of confidence to us and our teams. And we don't take it for granted. We don't take it lightly. We take it very, very seriously. And our obligation is to return that favor by serving you and serving you better. Citizens, fellow citizens, we've come a long way. Just reflect where we were 5 years ago. How difficult it was 5 years ago in many respects. It's not just those who are in jobs that we've had to deal with in terms of disposable incomes improved by enhanced by free education social cash transfers which has been increasing over years. Cash for work. It is things sometimes we don't pay attention to such as what? The bursary for school boarding secondary school boarding kids. Many parents couldn't afford that. So, on top of free education there's another another subvention which ameliorates if you like, reduces cost obligation to the parents and leaves more disposable income in the hands of the household. With the CDF anchored boarding school fees at every constituency. Never done before in the history of our country. Always bursaries were centralized. Now we have decentralized them. What other relief? Bursaries. Scholarships, call them anything. For skills training. Carpenters. Those who may not have been able to go to college, to go to university. Now they've had the opportunity to do carpentry work, to do metal work, to do bricklaying, to do plumbing. Call it, name it. And now they have the opportunity to be given a contract to build a classroom block in their locality, in that constituency. That's how we understand amelioration of the cost of living. It's a myriad of these measures. And your government this government will continue doing so. But we also know that we can only do that if we continue to expand the economy. To grow the economy. To bring more investments, to attract more investments going forward. And indeed, the jobs will come out of there. What else? Business opportunities will come out of there. What else? Treasury income. To complete the cycle. So we can cycle, so to say. You can say the cycle. So we can look after the weak in society. Who are they? The young, through the education offerings, free education and attendant facilities. What else? The retirees. Those that live with disabilities. In addition to us having provided for them the opportunity to get to Parliament after elections like this, through the proportional representation aspect that we brought in through the legal reviews, reforms, constitutional and other secondary laws. It's an opportunity to now have more women in Parliament. It's an opportunity to have more youth in Parliament. 20 women, 15 youth in total, coming from different parties, depending on the election results. And five of our fellow citizens living with disabilities. This is what it's all about. That's what we understand public office to me. And to reinforce further embed the understanding where I come from, philosophical understanding, that those of us who seek public office and are elected like what has happened, must always remember that national interest comes first. And personal interests are acceded to national interest. And when we do that, it will be always easy to make decisions. Sound, good decisions. National interest first, I repeat, personal interest subjected to national to national interest. If we do it correctly, our personal interest will be taken care of. Because we are a nation first. That's extremely important to us. So, I want to say to you, colleagues, that the next 5 years will focus on growth to deliver what I've just said. Growth through investments in different sectors for more jobs, more business opportunities, more treasury revenue. And then, this becomes a cycle, circle, cycle, call it anything. It comes in and out. And growth will ease even further the cost of living, which we understand. But you know, I've tried to explain today fellow citizens on how we have been working to put a package of measures, a myriad of measures, to ameliorate the cost of living. And you can count on us that we'll continue doing that over the years ahead. During our campaigns, we heard you. We traveled the country. We heard your concerns. And we will be basically pulling all of these concerns across the 10 provinces, in the 116 districts, 226 constituencies, 1,858 wards. All of these views, of course, not every view will be repeated by many others, but the greater majority of them, the themes have come through. Continue with free education. So, what the something installed us? You made our lives different, better. Continue with CDF. The citizens talking to us. Don't withdraw cash for work. Take care of the funds. So, when we produce, we answer Mr. President your call to produce more like we've done first ever 5 million metric tons of maize. And now paying them once they deliver the way they deliver that effort within two, three days. Never done before. So, all of these are well selected, well combined offerings as a package to the rural side. We can go to other areas, urban areas, crossing points, culverts and bridges, drainages. We heard all of that. And we'll be pulling them together to serve you better. I think that's our commitment to you. Very serious commitment to I must say that it is important that hope in a young person is what must be retained at all the times. You remain hopeful citizens, young, and apply your minds how you can actualize that hope. But what you can be sure your government will provide the support that is needed, as always. I think it's important for us to celebrate the decision of the people, the election results. Let us be in a position where we respect as we celebrate each other. Why provoke, a fellow citizen? Because you're a winner. So, you think. For you who hasn't been elected, but you supported, okay, those who support those who have not been elected. Do not provoke those who may be celebrating peacefully. But there is no winner here. There's no loser. We are all winners. Zambia is the winner. Public office is not competition to beat each other down physically. To match it each other. No. It's competition to serve through an election process like what we're going through. Really, that is what is important. So, we must celebrate with responsibility. We must if we choose to be quiet, be quiet and not provoke those who are celebrating. Those who are celebrating 20th December, don't damage somebody's property. That's not the spirit. Let us be responsible at all times. Because he or she he he or she who did not make the decision you made in the election is not your enemy. They're your brother, they're your sister, your uncle, auntie, they're your neighbor. More importantly, they're fellow citizens. I think that's important where we stand. Let us protect our peace. Let us uphold law and order. And I want to be emphatic here. We should not allow our country to degenerate into a bunch of armed malicious. At that point, that's crossing the line. Because once you start doing those things, you are injuring others. You're endangering the lives of others. And democracy means that where your freedoms end, other other citizens' freedom starts from there. So, you cannot do what you want in the guise of freedom, yet you injure others. Then, you're not a true citizen of this country. You're not thoughtful about other people. So, I want to assure this country that lawlessness has no place in this country. This country has opportunities for all. Amongst those opportunities, lawlessness is not one of them. Absolutely not. To bring a culture of guns in our country, militia type behavior, what we see in other regions is alien to us. And I have said before that stability, peace, security, stability is the ingredient, is the environment, operating environment for development, for opportunity. Let us continue doing that. Let us as citizens reject one, two, more of citizens who are veering in that noble area. That's my message to the people of Zambia. But, I can also assure you that your government will protect every citizen. That's the flip side of the coin. To save you, but also to protect you. That's our solemn duty embedded in our constitution, the constitution of Zambia. We will defend the peace of our country. We will uphold its constitution. As I said, protect its people and safeguard our democracy. Allow our democracy to endure so others after us can inherit a society where opinions are respected. But, even when we differ in opinions, they should never degenerate into fist fights or indeed gun fights. Very clear. There can be no development without peace. No enduring peace without justice. We also know that. Law and order. Rule of law, I touched on that. We must work harder. I want to emphasize this issue. As citizens, I observe the situation, circumstances out there, and I want to urge citizens to choose hard work than laziness. To be willing to take opportunities that come to earn your life by working. Support your needs by working. Let's be a country of producers as well. We can't We can't just be a country of traders. You've heard me say this over and over. We have to be a country of producers so we can provide food for our families, for the communities that may not be able to farm. But they are important because they're markets for those who produce. Production hard work is not only anchored in agriculture. I've heard people say, "Oh, HH wants all of us to be farmers." No. Factory workers work hard. Teachers work hard. Lecturers work hard. Don't be the one that makes that kid fail an exam because you did not do your work. When I was offering nurses jobs along the way during our campaign tour, I remember in one of the rallies I said, "You were lucky to get the job. But let's agree that you will not go to a ward and start playing with your phone when the patient is screaming in pain. I'm sure some of you remember that. That is an no-go area as well. You get an opportunity for a job, take it serious. Work hard. Save the patients. I remember even using the issue of fixing the drip problem. You fix the drip wrongly, spend full, patient is screaming, you go somewhere sitting in a chair and you're on social media. Ikhona. That's not part of what we should be as citizens. Remember, even medical staff get sick. Today you you you're the health caregiver, tomorrow you're the patient. Would you want somebody to treat you like that? No. Absolutely not. So, public sector workers, let's earn our right to work in the public sector. And I have said that work is not 8 hours to 17 hours. Work is what we deliver on a working day. You also know my views. There's no working day. Every day is a working day because work has to be done. That's the cultural shift we would like to see in this country. Whatever work you do, it's of value. Siyana siyana kwancinto, but value demos. Remember the old musician, kwasho demos, siyana siyana kwancinto, but kwasho demos. I believe in that principle. That's why but our duty is to continue creating opportunities for our people. We must protect our resources, those of us who work in the public sector. Even in the private sector environment, protect their resources, take care of them, grow them, so you can sustain your job, secure your job, and more importantly, create an extra job for somebody else. By manipulating, managing the resources that are at your disposal efficiently, effectively. And that's what it's all about. We We ensure that our progress reaches every community and every household, not some but every household over time. Remember development is not an event, it's a process we walk through and we pass through many stages. You have once again entrusted us with the highest responsibility that a citizen a citizen can place upon a leader. That's what you've done. And we're humbled by this decision. Competition will start. That's what it should be. That's what democracy is all about. But here we are. And we receive your trust as I said earlier with humility. We will never take your trust for granted. Never abuse your trust. Every day every opportunity I have, I remind my wife that the Zambians have elected HH to be their president, chief servant. And I must be available to Zambians more than just focusing on family. The family now is not just the HH family. It's the extended family. It's the 21 million Zambians that have bestowed us with this responsibility to work for them. And we take this serious. And we embrace it with both our hands. Our intellectual capabilities. And more importantly, the attitudes. The state of mind, the framing of realization that this is a people's trust and it must be protected. It must be used to better someone's life in our country. So, I want to repeat to those who voted for us, thank you for your confidence. To those who did not vote for us, thank you for your participation in the 2026 elections. Respecting democracy, we will work every day to earn your confidence. Even though you didn't vote for us, that's your choice. Our job is to continue working for you so you can next time vote for the UPND. Reflect. What was the state of your children before free education was introduced? What was the state of the university student whose meal allowances were taken out and now they've been restored? Those monks and mamas, how are they living? Certainly, people are saying, "How is it that the president, sitting president, very rare situation, has a close relationship with young people and the students?" I believe it's the care. It's the love. It's the things that we've delivered for them, which have changed their lives forever. You get education, your life has been changed forever. Use it properly. I think that's where this relationship is coming from. And I will continue working hard so that the young people, we and our team will continue working hard so that their confidence in us is not eroded by us not delivering on their expectations. This is important. Social contract, it's very important. I must say from this moment on, we will continue the journey we've been on the last 5 years. To Zambians, when they are not happy, they must say so to us. When they are happy, it's it's good if they say so. But even if they're not happy on something, in the last 5 years we've demonstrated that we don't resolve our unhappiness through street fights, through strikes at our workplaces, damaging property, damaging assets, the very assets which earns income for us and salaries, so to say, in simple language. Let's protect the assets that are at our disposal. So, we can use them and tomorrow those who are coming after us can use them. That's what I would ask. No winners, no losers, I've already said. There's only one Zambia, one country, one destiny. Not two, but one destiny. Better life for all. One Zambia, one nation, one people. That's what we are. I will repeat that. One Zambia, one nation, one people. That's who we are. And we have endured with this spirit even in great difficulties, droughts, some probably natural calamities, floods. We have always and we should continue to be out for each other. We should be each other's And your government will always be there to close the gap which only governments can close, and that's why governments are elected into office to close those gaps that citizens, individual citizens, or families may not be able to deal with. So, today let us give thanks to God the almighty for giving us good health, for keeping us alive. Keeping us alive. Alive. Just to be alive, to breathe God's oxygen. Some go to bed the night before, they don't wake up the following day. We wake up. We should say thank you to God for allowing us to live on. As you know, he's the decider of our life. When he wants to take our lives, lives will go. But no human being must end someone's life prematurely. And I return to this malicious thing that is emerging in our country. You can't use the malicious to seek public office, to acquire public office. Then you are looking for personal gain in public office. In the guise of serving the people, actually your interest to serve your interest. Your interest to serve your interest. Same as your interest to seek public office is not to serve the people, but your personal interest. So, your interest is your interest. But disguising as seeking public office for people's interest. We should not do that. We should never say that is acceptable. Say no-go area. And I'm happy Zambians are condemning this kind of stuff. It's alien to us. Absolutely alien to us. Let us pray that the country we continue God continues to guide us as individuals, as families, as a nation. God should give us grant us wisdom. To all the leaders at different levels. Family leaders, community leaders, church leaders, business leaders, civil society leaders, all of them. In public sector and private sector. We we seek God's wisdom. As we protect our people, as we keep our country peaceful, as we keep our country united, but more importantly prosperous. That in the inverse way is what assures us of stability. People can see opportunities in their lives. May we for us elected like me, mayors, council chairpersons, president, yes, but mayors, council chairpersons, members of parliament, counselors, may we have the humility to serve the people of Zambia diligently, truthfully, but with hard work. The courage to do what is right. We seek God to give us that as well. And the strength to work together, team work, for generations yet unborn. Very important. And may Zambia continue moving forward in peace, in unity, for all our people to see some kind of benefit. God bless us all. God bless our country, Zambia. I thank you. Your excellencies.