Hakainde Hichilema

Hakainde Hichilema (born 4 June 1962) is a Zambian politician and businessman. Hichilema is the President of Zambia. He has been the President of the United Party for National Development since 2006.^[1][2] He ran for president six times, winning in 2021.

Hakainde Hichilema
Hichilema in June 2024
7th President of Zambia
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 August 2021
Vice President	Mutale Nalumango
Preceded by	Edgar Lungu
President of the United Party for National Development
Incumbent
Assumed office 2006
Preceded by	Anderson Mazoka
Personal details
Born	(1962-06-04) 4 June 1962 (age 62) Monze, Northern Rhodesia
Nationality	Zambian
Political party	UPND
Spouse(s)	Mutinta
Children	3 Miyanda Habwela Chikonka
Alma mater	University of Zambia (BA) University of Birmingham (MBA)
Occupation	Businessman
Profession	Economist
Website	hh-zambia.com
Nickname(s)	HH

Early life and career

Hichilema was born in a village in Monze District in which is now called Zambia. He studed at the University of Zambia and graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in Economics and Business Administration.

Early political career

He is a member of United Party for National Development (UPND) party. After Anderson Mazoka died in 2006,^[3] he was elected as the new party President. He worked as the leader of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a party made up of three opposition political parties. He has already taken part in the 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016 elections.^[4][5]

Presidency

Hichilema ran for president again in 2021, this time successfully being elected in a landslide victory by winning 59% of the vote in August 2021.^[6] He beat incumbent President Edgar Lungu, who has refused to accept his defeat and has called the election a fraud.^[7][8]

Personal life

Hichilema is married to Mutinta and has three children. He is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.^[9] Hichilema is a millionaire and the second-largest cattle rancher in Zambia.^[10]

References

1. "Zambia frees opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema". www.aljazeera.com.
2. "Zambia opposition leader released". 16 August 2017 – via www.bbc.com.^{[permanent dead link]}
3. "Mazoka '69, former Zambian presidential candidate, dies". Union College News Archives. 2006-06-02. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
4. "Zambia's President Edgar Lungu declared election winner". BBC News. 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
5. "Edgar Lungu steals election - Hakainde Hichilema for President". web.archive.org. 2015-01-27. Archived from the original on 2015-01-27. Retrieved 2021-08-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
6. Mfula, Chris (16 August 2021). "Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema wins landslide in presidential election". Reuters. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
7. "Zambian president declares election not free and fair - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
8. "Zambia President Lungu reject election results". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
9. "HH: I am not a Masonist, I am Christian and a church elder at SDA". Lusaka Times. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
10. Laing, Aislinn (19 January 2015). "Africa needs leaders to run countries like CEOs, Zambia's opposition leader says". The Daily Telegraph. Ndola. Retrieved 23 January 2015.