Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, addressed the Fourth Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly on 28th February 2025, reaffirming the country’s dedication to democracy, transparency, and good governance.
During the speech, President Hichilema focused on Zambia’s commitment to freedom of expression, highlighting that citizens, political figures, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders are able to operate freely without government interference. He noted that no media houses have been shut down under his leadership.
The President also pointed to Zambia’s openness to international scrutiny, citing the voluntary invitation extended to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. This move positions Zambia as a nation welcoming global oversight.
On tackling corruption, the President shared that efforts to combat the issue are showing positive results, including convictions, asset recovery, and improvements in judicial efficiency. He also mentioned the introduction of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation and negotiation to expedite corruption-related cases and reduce case backlogs.
President Hichilema also noted Zambia’s improved ranking in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, which rose from 37 in 2023 to 39 in 2024. The country’s global rank also improved, moving from 98 to 92 out of 180 countries.
