Prof Mutti

Given Lubinda goes RED. The man in PF was largely used to project some semblance of regional balance.
Beyond that, he was never fully trusted with key responsibilities, largely because he is Lozi.

You could clearly see that the man genuinely loved PF, but many within the party never seemed to fully embrace him.

At one point, some even said he could not become PF President because he was supposedly a "foreigner."

Considering all that, awe mayo, he has every reason to join UPND.

THE HICHILEMAFICATION OF AGRICULTURE

Zambia’s maize production has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past three farming seasons, moving from a devastating drought-induced decline to achieving one of the highest maize harvests in the country’s history.

The steady improvement in maize production from the 2023/2024 farming season through the 2024/2025 and now the 2025/2026, reflects the deliberate agricultural reforms and policy direction under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development.

It is often said that the true test of leadership is revealed in times of crisis. Well, we all know that the 2023/2024 farming season was one of the most difficult periods for Zambia’s agricultural sector. The country recorded approximately 1.5 million metric tonnes of maize, a significant decline largely caused by the severe El Niño-induced drought that affected many parts of the country.

Most farming regions experienced poor rainfall distribution, prolonged dry spells, and extremely high temperatures that damaged crops before maturity. Many small-scale farmers suffered heavy losses as fields dried up, while others harvested far below their expectations. The poor harvest created concerns over food security and rising mealie meal prices across the country.

Despite these difficult conditions, the Hichilema administration responded swiftly with measures aimed at preventing a total collapse of the agricultural sector. The government intensified its focus on climate-smart agriculture, irrigation development, and reforms to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

The government also emphasized the importance of early preparation for future farming seasons by improving the distribution system for seed and fertilizer. One of the major challenges under the previous systems had been the delayed delivery of farming inputs, which often forced farmers to plant late and reduced productivity. The UPND government began restructuring input distribution systems to ensure that farmers received farming inputs before the onset of rains.

Another major policy direction that began gaining momentum during this period was the government’s deliberate effort to create a favorable environment for local fertilizer manufacturing companies. Instead of depending heavily on imported fertilizer, the Hichilema government encouraged investment in local fertilizer production plants , which gave birth to the United Capital Fertilizer Limited and other local manufacturers.

This policy aimed at reducing dependence on costly fertilizer imports, lowering transportation delays, improving fertilizer availability, and ensuring timely distribution of inputs to farmers across the country.

By promoting local production, the Hichilema government sought to guarantee stable fertilizer supply chains and support long-term agricultural sustainability.

The focus on local fertilizer manufacturing was an important foundation for the agricultural recovery that followed. With fertilizer being produced locally, the government has been able to improve efficiency in procurement and distribution under FISP.

Farmers in many parts of the country began receiving inputs earlier than before, allowing them to plant on time and fully utilize the rainfall season. Early planting has significantly contributed to better crop establishment and higher yields.

Did these reforms work or are they workig ? Again, lets look at the farming seasons that followed.

The 2024/2025 farming season saw a major turning point for Zambia’s agriculture sector as maize production dramatically increased from the previous 1.5 to approximately 3.66 million metric tonnes.

The season demonstrated the positive impact of the reforms introduced by the UPND administration. Farmers now had better access to seed and fertilizer, while improved coordination under FISP have enabled inputs to reach many farming communities on time.

Hichilema's policy of treating agriculture as a business also began producing visible results during this period. He consistently encouraged farmers to move beyond subsistence farming and increase production for both local consumption and export markets.

This has motivated many farmers to expand cultivation areas and invest more seriously in farming activities. Confidence grew further as the government signaled willingness to support maize exports once national food security requirements were met.

The 2025/2026 farming season has now become historic for Zambia after the country recorded approximately 4.9 million metric tonnes of maize, the highest harvest ever recorded in the nation’s history.

This extraordinary achievement reflects the cumulative impact of the favorable weather conditions and the continued implementation of agricultural reforms by the Hichilema government.

This transformation witnessed between the 2023/2024 and 2025/2026 farming seasons shows just how Hichilema's strategic policy direction, has significantly improve national food production.

That's the "Hichilemafication" for you. Now Zambia is rising. The target is to reach 10 million metric tonnes by 2031.