Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema secured a second consecutive 5-year term in office, facing a strong challenge from the opposition due to public discontent with ongoing difficulties despite economic improvements. The official results, announced by the election commission early on Tuesday, revealed that Hichilema garnered around 60% of valid votes, while his primary rival, Brian Mundubile, received approximately 38%. Commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis declared Hichilema as the president-elect of Zambia on August 18, 2026.
This election marked Hichilema’s seventh presidential bid, with his victory largely anticipated given the advantages of being the incumbent, whereas Mundubile was contesting for the first time. Hichilema, aged 64, campaigned on his economic achievements since assuming office during the pandemic-induced debt crisis in 2021. Zambia, known for its copper resources, has been a focal point of competition between China and the United States due to its critical minerals.
Following a relatively calm period preceding the August 13 election, tensions escalated rapidly. International observers, including the European Union, acknowledged the overall peaceful conduct of the election but noted limitations on fundamental freedoms throughout the electoral process. Michael McNamara, head of the EU observation mission, cited late legal modifications, legal ambiguities, and uneven campaign circumstances as factors influencing the electoral fairness.
On the election night, authorities arrested 11 individuals, including prominent opposition figures, in a raid that involved gunfire while Mundubile was present. Subsequently, the electoral commission halted vote counting for several hours due to reports of violence against polling officials and the theft of ballot papers. Mundubile raised concerns about potential result form alterations from polling stations, calling for an urgent independent inquiry, although Hichilema’s team dismissed his claims as false.
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed unease over the army’s involvement in the vote tallying process, emphasizing that maintaining order during elections falls within the jurisdiction of the Zambia Police Service as per the constitution. The opposition is expected to challenge the election results legally, although the likelihood of success is deemed minimal by Greg Musiker, a Zambia analyst at advisory firm Signal Risk. While isolated political unrest might occur in the near future, widespread turmoil is not anticipated.