ZAMBIA BUILT BY WORKERS, NOT SPEECHES

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Posted by admin on May 1, 2026 at 1:18 AM

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President Hakainde Hichilema has paid glowing tribute to Zambia’s workers, declaring that the nation’s development story has never been written in speeches but in the sweat of ordinary men and women who rise before dawn to keep the country moving.

Delivering his Labour Day message, the Head of State said from the trader in Kasumbalesa, to the miner in Kalulushi, teacher in Mongu, and nurse in Petauke, Zambia is held together by workers whose labour often goes unseen but remains the backbone of the economy.

“This country is not built by speeches. It is built by hands like these,” President Hichilema said.

He acknowledged that for years, workers operated under difficult conditions, citing factory closures, unstable wages, and collapsed industries.

However, he noted that the past four years have focused on stabilizing the economy, restructuring debt, and restoring investor confidence to rebuild jobs and productive sectors.

The President pointed to the reopening of Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe as a symbol of recovery, creating jobs on the factory floor and benefiting thousands of cotton farmers.

He also highlighted new investments such as a mall and hotel in Kasama, which are expanding opportunities beyond Lusaka, and the Mingomba mining project in Chililabombwe, which he described as a major vote of confidence in Zambia’s mining future.

Despite these gains, Hichilema admitted that challenges remain, including low wages and difficult working conditions in some industries.

He assured workers that government remains committed to ensuring economic growth translates into dignity and fair reward for labour.

“Today, on this Labour Day, this day is yours. And so is the harvest that comes next,” he said.