President Hakainde Hichilema has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building a resilient and sustainable social protection system that leaves no one behind.
Speaking during the official opening of the 5th Session of the 13th National Assembly, President Hichilema highlighted progress in expanding key programmes such as the Social Cash Transfer, Food Security Pack (FSP), and Supporting Women’s Livelihood interventions.
He disclosed that since 2021, the UPND administration has increased the number of beneficiary households to 1.3 million, underscoring government’s strong focus on inclusivity.
In addition, 540,000 vulnerable but viable farming households have benefited from the FSP, while 2.2 million citizens received support under the Emergency Cash Transfer initiative.
“Social protection programmes are available to everyone in all districts across the country,” President Hichilema assured, urging collective efforts beyond partisan or personal interests to promote inclusive development that empowers all citizens.
The Head of State emphasized that swift government action through the Emergency Cash Transfer initiative helped Zambia avert loss of life during the drought emergency, ensuring that no citizen died of hunger.
He expressed gratitude to Zambians for their patience and trust during this difficult period and commended farmers whose hard work contributed to a bumper harvest.
President Hichilema further cautioned against framing disaster response measures in competition with commercial transactions, stressing that government’s foremost duty is to prioritize the welfare of citizens in times of crisis.
