LUSAKA - Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema pledged to build on the economic turnaround achieved during his first term as he was sworn in for a new mandate Tuesday after tense elections.
Hichilema took the oath of office with the main opposition leader -- who was the runner-up in the August 13 ballot -- under arrest on treason charges that he rejects.
The vote was marred by allegations of intimidation, pro-government bias and restrictions on the opposition, tarnishing the copper-rich country's democratic reputation.
Thousands of cheering supporters wearing the red colours of Hichilema's UPND party packed the Lusaka stadium for his swearing-in ceremony attended by a handful of African leaders.
"Having done the heavy lifting in our first term, the next five years is all about growth, expansion, opportunity and prosperity for all our people," he said in an address to the packed stadium.
Hichilema has been credited with steering Zambia through a major economic turnaround during his first five-year term, after the country defaulted on its sovereign debt in 2020.
As he pursued market-friendly reforms, inflation dropped and international reserves grew. He also abolished the death penalty and made primary and secondary education free.
Critics say, however, the growth has yet to be felt by ordinary households.
Acknowledging "challenges with the cost of living", Hichilema said: "There is still a lot more to be done. And that's what this mandate is all about.
"We are moving from stabilisation to growth, effectively.
"This means, in practice, broad expansion and for all our people to access opportunities, irrespective of their backgrounds."
More than 70 percent of Zambia's 22 million people live on less than three dollars a day, according to World Bank data.
The country is Africa's second-largest copper producer, and its economy relies on the commodity which generates around 70 percent of export earnings, with China a major investor and its largest bilateral creditor.
Opposition leader arrested
Hichilema, a 64-year-old tycoon, won 60 percent of last month's election followed by former provincial government minister Brian Mundubile on 38 percent, according to official results.
Mundubile, 55, went into hiding after security forces raided his home on August 14, the day after polling, saying they were targeting a suspected militia posing a national security threat.
His NRPUP alliance has strongly rejected the claims.
A former cabinet minister was shot and killed in the operation and 11 members of Mundubile's camp were arrested.
Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu surrendered to police on August 27. Their lawyer confirmed at the weekend that they had been charged with treason, which they have denied.
"Political differences are an inevitable part of a democracy, but the pursuit of political power must never come at the expense of peace, security, and stability in our country," Hichilema said in his address.
"It takes courage to offer oneself for public service... but it should never reach the point where it becomes a matter between life or death," he said.
Mundubile and Zulu have roots in the Patriotic Front party that was led by the late Edgar Lungu, Hichilema's predecessor and bitter rival.
After losing the 2016 presidential election to Lungu, Hichilema was charged with treason for allegedly failing to pull over for the presidential motorcade.
He spent four months in a maximum-security prison before the charges were dropped.
There are charges that the space for political dissent was narrowed during his first term, which started in 2021.
Since gaining independence from Britain in 1964 under founding president Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia has earned a reputation as one of southern Africa's more stable democracies, with a history of peaceful transfers of power.
- AFP