Lusaka: Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema was sworn into office for a second term on Tuesday following his resounding victory in the Aug. 13 general election, in which he beat 12 other presidential candidates. "Five years ago, you ushered in a new dawn. Today, we witness the birth of the Grow Zambia Agenda. I will continue to be a servant president for all Zambians," Hichilema said in his inaugural address after taking the oath at the full-to-the-brim, 60,000-seat National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, the capital.

According to Anadolu Agency, the ceremony was attended by the presidents of Zimbabwe, Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, and Namibia, among other world leaders. Hichilema promised to more than double the country's economy through increased production in agriculture, mining, and energy, as well as support the most vulnerable in society through expanded social safety nets. "Economic growth must mean something at the dinner table. It must mean education for our children, a job for a young graduate, a market for a farmer, capital for an entrepreneur, opportunity for a woman in business, and a better future for every child," he said. He extended an olive branch to his competitors, saying that while political preferences differed, the nation's future was one.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa remarked that Hichilema's victory reflected the confidence and trust of Zambians in his leadership, adding that Zimbabwe looked forward to strengthening bilateral cooperation with its cross-border neighbor under Hichilema's new mandate. Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto praised Hichilema for taking bold economic decisions that enabled Africa's second-leading copper producer to overcome a crippling debt burden and drought-induced energy pressures, which were addressed through investment in alternative energy sources.