HH DESERVES 2ND TERM
… free education and pension reforms must be fully actualised through continuity in govt – Dr Mumba
By Mast Reporter
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema needs a second term of office to actualise and finish what he started, New Nation Party (NNP) president Dr Nevers Mumba said.
In a statement seen by The Mast yesterday, Dr Mumba said Hichilema had a vision for a better Zambia and his plea for the second term of office was premised on actualising the free education and pension reforms the government was undertaking.
“I extend my deepest commendations to President Hichilema for his historic signing of the Free Education and Pension Reform bills into law,” he said.
He said Hichilema’s broader focus was to drive Zambia to a stable economy, a debt-free nation, and a country full of opportunities for Zambians.
Dr Mumba said so far, Hichilema had done much more that ever done by other leaders.
“By removing the financial barriers to learning, this administration is profoundly investing in the intellectual and economic future of our youth, while the sweeping pension reforms simultaneously guarantee a dignified, reliable safety net for our senior citizens who have spent their lives building our nation,” he said.
Dr Mumba urged young people, women and people with disabilities not to lose focus.
He said Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration was well-positioned to build a strong Zambia again after addressing barriers to economic development.
“A society is ultimately judged by how it empowers its next generation and honors its elders, and through these policies, the President has decisively charted a course toward a more just, prosperous, and morally grounded future for Zambia,” said Dr Mumba.
Last Thursday, Hichilema signed five bills into law, including four pension reform bills that would increase the minimum pension, provide advance lump-sum payments to approximately 30,000 retirees, and enhance pension savings for 1.2 million NAPSA members.
The package also includes the fifth bill, which was the Education Amendment Bill of 2026.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at State House, Hichilema said the reforms were central to restructuring the economy, with the aim of promoting economic growth and improving the livelihoods of the people.
He said the reforms, such as those in the energy sector, were essential for the country to function effectively for its citizens.
Hichilema explained that when reforms were implemented diligently and with purpose, such as the pensions and education bills, they delivered results that were vital to the people’s well-being.
