PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to attend the inauguration ceremony of Zambian President-elect Hakainde Hichilema at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Hichilema was elected as the country’s new president following elections held in the country earlier this month.
In a statement issued by the Presidency, Ramaphosa has congratulated the incoming Zambian government and expressed well wishes for President-Elect Hichilema’s presidential term and for the people of Zambia.
“South Africa and Zambia enjoy deep historical ties forged during the struggle against apartheid and colonialism in the region and the relationship is currently underpinned by the mutual cooperation in diplomatic, cultural and economic development between the two nations,” the statement said.
Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Candith Mashego-Dlamini will accompany Ramaphosa to the inauguration.
A statement by the presidency last week said that during a call with President-Elect Hichilema last week, Ramaphosa assured the President-Elect that South Africa would, in its relations with Zambia, build on the deep historical ties forged between the two nations.
Hichilema defeated outgoing President Edgar Lungu in a landslide by almost one million votes in his sixth attempt at becoming ruler of Zambia.
It was a stunning turnaround for the politician known as HH — Hichilema spent several months in prison in 2017 for what were widely seen as politically motivated treason charges. The charges were dropped under intense international pressure.
After initially indicating he may challenge the result, Lungu addressed the nation following the elections, saying: “Based on the revelations issued at final results, I will comply with the constitutional provisions for a peaceful transition of power.
Despite conceding defeat early, Lungu was booed by some of the crowd as he made his way to the stage at the packed Heroes stadium in the capital Lusaka to hand over power.
Hichilema called Tuesday “a new dawn in Zambia,” in a tweet ahead of the ceremony. “As I sit here in our vehicle being driven to Heroes Stadium, I see the love, the joy and the jubilation as people line the streets on our way. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. I love you all so much,” he added.
“It’s a new dawn. Time has come for all Zambians to be truly free,” he said to a cheering crowd.
Hichilema vowed to deliver a “united, prosperous and equitable Zambia.”
- Inside Politics
