GONE FOREVER
….HH shuts door on old guard
By DAVID KANDUZA
THE grand, high-ceilinged halls of State House carried a chilly, unmistakable draft this morning, September 14, 2026.
The soft chatter of expectant politicians, the rustle of tailored suits and the gleaming polish of official shoes all set the stage for a political transformation.
Armed with a fresh second-term mandate, President Hakainde Hichilema took to the podium to announce his long-awaited Cabinet appointments, turning what many expected to be a routine ceremony into a decisive changing of the guard.
For weeks, political stakeholders and ordinary Zambians had debated whether the President would opt for continuity or bring in fresh blood.
Today, the answer came with the force of a falling gavel.
In a speech laced with characteristic bluntness, President Hichelema drew a clear line in the sand between his first administration and the vision for his next five years.
Addressing the room, the President made it explicitly clear that loyalty to the past would no longer guarantee a seat at the high table.
He noted that while some individuals served their purpose in the initial transition, the demands of the current economic reality required high integrity, strict discipline and zero room for complacency.
“Some former ministers are gone forever,” the Head of State remarked coolly, his voice echoing across the silent room.
“I don’t want people who play in my Cabinet. Public office holders must never lose sight of their role as servants to the citizens who ushered us into office.”
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.
For the incoming appointees, it was a stern reminder that their new portfolios come with heavy burdens—including a ban on backroom verbal instructions to controlling officers and a directive to aggressively manage the country’s natural resources.
For those watching from the sidelines, the statement was a definitive closing of a chapter.
By framing the appointments around strict performance metrics rather than political rewards, the President had signalled a shift toward a leaner, more delivery-oriented Government.
As the newly minted ministers stepped forward to take their oaths, the shadow of their predecessors loomed large—not as examples to follow, but as a cautionary tale of what happens when performance falls short of the presidency’s expectations.
With the door firmly shut on the old guard, the focus now turns entirely to the new team to see if they can turn President Hichilema’s ambitious promises of economic growth and job creation into reality.
One thing, however, remained absolutely certain: the political landscape had shifted and for some, there wa no turning back.