UNITE YOUR PEOPLE
…Ruto, Mnangagwa urge Hichilema to be inclusive
By George Zulu and Adrian Mwanza
KENYAN President William Ruto and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa have urged Zambians not to allow political differences to divide the nation.
Speaking during the inauguration of President Hakainde Hichilema yesterday, Ruto said political differences should never become a source of division in a nation.
Ruto said what united the people should be greater than what separated them, urging Zambians to embrace one another.
“Elections will produce winners and losers, but when the polls are over, people should remain united,” he said.
He urged Hichilema to govern for Zambians with respect for the rule of law, saying his new mandate was critical to ensure that he put the needs of the people first.
Ruto urged Hichilema not to segregate but to run an inclusive government and embrace even the opposition.
He said Hichilema should take a leaf from the late Kenneth Kaunda’s generation, who worked tirelessly to ensure that the continent was free from slavery.
Ruto said the current generation had the task of moving the nation towards prosperity.
“African leaders have the task to turn political freedom into economic freedom because the continent is blessed with a lot of resources. Africa can industrialise if elections bring stability and that is the trajectory we need to embrace,” he said.
Ruto challenged those eyeing political positions not to engage in politics of division, but ideas that promote development.
He called for peaceful elections, saying politics should not become more important than the nation.
“Your first term was a bit turbulent, but you managed to rebuild the economy, and these are significant gains,” Ruto said.
He said the introduction of free education was a game changer for many Zambian families who could not afford education.
And Mnangagwa congratulated Hichilema on his re-election while calling for continued unity and stronger regional cooperation as Zambia begins a new five-year term.
Speaking at the same inauguration in Lusaka yesterday, Mnangagwa described Zambia and Zimbabwe as longstanding brothers, pledging continued cooperation between the two countries in pursuit of shared development goals.
He commended Zambia for supporting Zimbabwe’s successful bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term.
Mnangagwa urged African countries to take greater responsibility for their own development, modernisation and industrialisation.
Hichilema’s inauguration was attended by five heads of state.
Those who attended were Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, Botswana’s Gedeon Duma Boko, Namibia’s Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Eswatini’s Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla.
Earlier five African heads of state and a representative from Eswatini joined the rest of the country to celebrate Hichilema’s victory in the August 13 general election at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
Kenya’s president William Ruto was the first to arrive in the morning and was later joined by Namibia’s Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, before Botswana’s Duma Boko arrived later.
Others included Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa and Eswatini’s Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla.
The event was characterised by pomp and splendour as the 60,000 capacity Heroes Stadium was filled to the rafters as people anxiously waited for the President-elect to get his second term mandate.
The wait was finally over as Hichilema arrived together with First Lady Mutinta slightly after 12:00 in a presidential BMW vehicle, much to the excitement of the boisterous throng of supporters who donned red colours representing the United Party for National Development (UPND).
Soldiers mounted a 21-gun salute as Hichilema and his running mate Mutale Nalumango were sworn in.
Hichilema also inspected a guard of honour and later the defence forces conducted a march past supported by the air force whose aircraft which mounted a ceremonial flypast.
And at exactly 13:00 hours, Hichilema took to the podium to give his inaugural speech calling for unity, peace and development.
He called for national unity and forgiveness, and pledge to be a servant President in the second term.
