Key facts
- Hakainde Hichilema has been reelected as President of Zambia for a second five-year term.
- Hichilema secured 2,965,326 votes, winning outright with over 51% of the vote.
- Opposition leader Brian Mundubile received 1,856,217 votes.
- Vote counting was temporarily suspended due to attacks on polling officials and stolen ballot papers.
- Several opposition figures were arrested, accused of posing a threat to state security.
Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second term as President of Zambia, with official results from the Electoral Commission of Zambia confirming his victory in last Thursday's election. Hichilema was declared the outright winner without a run-off, having secured more than 51% of the vote with 2,965,326 ballots, surpassing his closest competitor, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who garnered 1,856,217 votes.
The election process was marked by significant tension, including a temporary suspension of vote counting due to reports of violence against polling station officials and stolen ballot papers. The government also confirmed the arrest of several leading opposition figures on election night, accused of posing a threat to state security. Mundubile stated his home was raided by police, which he described as an attack on his life.
Hichilema's administration has dismissed the opposition's fraud allegations as baseless. In his second term, Hichilema aims to double the size of Zambia's economy, create more jobs, and expand opportunities for households. During his first term, he successfully navigated a major debt restructuring and improved relations with international lenders. However, critics point to persistent poverty and hunger, and accuse his government of growing intolerance towards dissent, with civil society groups expressing concerns about the use of law enforcement against opponents.