The new president came to power promising widespread change. A year on, his supporters see him as a saviour, his critics as an abject failure. Nothing demonstrates Zambia’s political polarisation quite as much as the responses to the basic question: how much has President Hakainde Hichilema accomplished in his first year in office? Where his supporters see total economic transformation and democratic renewal since his inauguration a year ago today, his critics see sustained decline and an abject failure of leadership. Below, I attempt to offer a more balanced assessment of both the positive indicators and persistent challenges of Hichilema’s … Continue reading An assessment of President Hichilema’s first year in Zambia