The task facing Zambia’s new president, Hakainde Hichilema

OVER THE past four years new presidents in southern Africa have taken office amid masses of hype. Emmerson Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe would be open for business. João Lourenço vowed to diversify Angola’s oil-dependent economy. Cyril Ramaphosa pledged a “new dawn” in South Africa after years of graft. They have all disappointed.So there are grounds for caution about the triumph of Hakainde Hichilema (pictured), who on August 16th was declared the winner of Zambia’s presidential election. But there are also reasons to be optimistic about the former businessman, who failed in five previous attempts at winning the presidency. This time he gained 58% of the vote, enough to render moot efforts to rig the poll by the outgoing president, Edgar Lungu. Unlike most presidents in southern Africa, Mr Hichilema is not a product of a decadent post-colonial ruling party. He is more a liberal than a liberationist. And he has a plan.