59th Independence Day Address to the Nation

President Hichilema delivered the Independence Day address to the nation on 24 October 2023, marking Zambia's 59th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule. The guest of honour was Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was on a State Visit to Zambia coinciding with the Independence Day celebrations.

The commemoration commenced with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Freedom Statue in Lusaka in honour of those who sacrificed their lives during the struggle for independence. President Hichilema and President Samia jointly participated in the ceremony.

In his address, President Hichilema acknowledged the selfless efforts of the freedom fighters who secured political emancipation and stressed that the current leadership must strive to achieve economic and social emancipation while ensuring the equitable distribution of resources.

President Hichilema also lauded the bilateral cooperation between Zambia and Tanzania, emphasising its enduring importance for the benefit of both nations' citizens. President Samia, in her own address, said that independence was not only meant to make the continent politically free but economically free as well, and that governments in Africa would continue to put policies in place to ensure that people are at the centre of development.

President Samia subsequently addressed the National Assembly of Zambia on 25 October 2023, and the two leaders also officiated at the Zambia-Tanzania Business Forum during the visit.