Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema secured a second consecutive 5-year term, facing a strong challenge from the opposition leader amid public dissatisfaction with ongoing difficulties despite an economic upturn. The election commission announced that Hichilema garnered about 60% of valid votes, while his main rival, Brian Mundubile, received 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, leveraging the benefits of being the incumbent, whereas Mundubile made his debut in the race for the head of state. Hichilema, aged 64, highlighted his economic achievements since assuming office during a debt crisis in 2021, emphasizing Zambia’s strategic significance for China and the United States due to its copper resources.
Despite a relatively calm prelude to the August 13 election, tensions quickly escalated afterward. International observers, including the European Union, acknowledged the overall peaceful conduct of the election but noted constraints on fundamental freedoms throughout the electoral process. The EU observation mission head, Michael McNamara, criticized last-minute legal modifications, legal uncertainties, and uneven campaign conditions that skewed the electoral landscape.
Following the election, authorities detained 11 individuals, including prominent opposition figures, in a raid that involved gunfire while Mundubile was present. Subsequently, the electoral commission halted the vote-counting process for several hours due to reports of violence against polling personnel and the theft of ballot papers. Mundubile raised concerns about potential result tampering and called for an independent probe, although Hichilema’s camp dismissed his claims as false.
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed reservations about the army’s involvement during the vote tallying, emphasizing that maintaining order during elections falls within the Zambia Police Service’s jurisdiction. The opposition is anticipated to challenge the election results legally, but the chances of success are deemed slim by Greg Musiker, a Zambia analyst at advisory firm Signal Risk. While isolated political unrest could occur in the near future, widespread turmoil is not foreseen.