Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema stepped into public view on Monday, making an unscheduled stop at the Daniel Munkombwe Toll Plaza in Choma, a move that appeared aimed at shutting down online speculation about his health.
In a brief message posted on his Facebook page, the President said he had stopped “to say hi to our fellow citizens,” sharing images from the toll plaza as he greeted workers and members of the public.
The appearance followed a day of heightened social media chatter claiming that the Head of State had fallen ill and been evacuated to South Africa for medical attention. The rumours gained traction after political analyst Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa challenged government to “confirm reports that President Hichilema is unwell.”
Government moved quickly to deny the claims. Information and Media Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana dismissed the reports in blunt terms, replying “nonsense” to the allegations on X.
Kawana later reiterated that there was no truth to suggestions the President had been flown out of the country.
Dr. Sishuwa, while acknowledging that illness is a normal human occurrence, argued that “Zambians deserve to know the condition of their President,” a position that has often surfaced in past debates over transparency around leaders’ health in the region.
Adding to the official pushback, a State House aide in Choma downplayed the rumours with a touch of humour, saying, “The Boss is alive and even watching social drama.”
By late afternoon, the President’s public stop in Choma had effectively punctured the narrative that had dominated online spaces earlier in the day.
The images, being widely shared, have left little room for speculation.
For now, the opposition claims appear to have fallen flat, overtaken by visuals of a President on the road, engaging casually with citizens, and a government keen to stamp out what it describes as baseless misinformation.
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