Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema secured a second consecutive 5-year term, facing a surprisingly strong challenge from the opposition leader amid public discontent over lingering hardships despite economic improvements. The election commission released results early on Tuesday, revealing that Hichilema garnered around 60% of valid votes, with his main rival, Brian Mundubile, receiving about 38%.
Commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis officially declared Hichilema as the president-elect of Zambia on August 18, 2026. This marked Hichilema’s seventh presidential bid, where his victory was largely anticipated due to the advantages of being the incumbent, while it was Mundubile’s first attempt at the presidency.
Throughout his campaign, the 64-year-old Hichilema highlighted his economic achievements since assuming office during a debt crisis in 2021, emphasizing Zambia’s significance in the global competition for critical minerals between China and the United States.
Despite a relatively calm pre-election period leading to the August 13 vote, tensions quickly escalated post-election. International observers, including the European Union, noted that while the election was mostly peaceful, the overall electoral process was conducted in a restrictive environment that curtailed fundamental freedoms.
Following the election, authorities made several arrests, including prominent opposition figures, amid gunfire exchanges during a raid attended by Mundubile. Subsequently, the electoral commission halted vote-counting for hours due to reports of violence against polling staff and ballot paper theft. This led to accusations from Mundubile of potential result tampering, prompting calls for an independent investigation, which was refuted by Hichilema’s camp.
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed apprehension over the army’s involvement in the vote counting process, emphasizing that maintaining order during elections falls within the remit of the Zambia Police Service as per constitutional and statutory provisions.
While the opposition is anticipated to challenge the election results legally, the likelihood of a successful challenge is deemed low by Zambia analyst Greg Musiker from advisory firm Signal Risk. Despite potential isolated incidents of political unrest in the near future, widespread turmoil is not foreseen.