New Year Address to the Nation 2025

President Hichilema delivered his New Year address to the nation on the eve of 2025, broadcast on ZNBC TV and radio. The address came at the end of a year marked by the most severe drought in living memory, which had devastated the 2023/2024 agricultural season, necessitated a national disaster declaration, and triggered an energy crisis due to low water levels at the Kariba Dam.

In his message, President Hichilema acknowledged the hardships that the drought and resulting load-shedding had imposed on Zambian households and businesses. He expressed empathy for the suffering of citizens and reaffirmed the government determination to address the energy crisis through diversification, including solar power investments, thermal generation at Maamba, and regional interconnectors.

The President highlighted the resilience of the Zambian people and the progress made by his administration despite the difficult year. He cited the conclusion of Zambia debt restructuring, economic growth averaging 5.2 percent over three years, the record expansion of the Constituency Development Fund to K40 million per constituency, and continued investment in education and health.

President Hichilema called on Zambians to approach 2025 with renewed energy and commitment to hard work, expressing confidence that the nation would bounce back from the drought and continue its trajectory of recovery and growth. He extended warm New Year greetings to all Zambians at home and in the diaspora.