Zambia's Hichilema secures second term as election process draws criticism

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected for a second five-year term, the Electoral Commission of Zambia announced early Tuesday (August 18, 2026). With 61.4% of the five million votes cast, he secured an outright win, avoiding a run-off against his closest rival, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who polled about 38%.

According to the commission, President Hichilema received 2,965,326 votes, while Mr. Mundubile got 1,856,217 votes. Commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis declared: "I therefore declare, Hichilema Hakainde S, to be President-elect of the Republic of Zambia this 18th day of August, 2026."

The declaration followed a tense electoral process. Vote counting was suspended on Friday (August 14) and restarted hours later under heightened security after the commission reported attacks on polling station officials and the theft of ballot papers. The government also confirmed the arrest of several leading opposition figures on election night, with police alleging they posed a threat to state security.

In his first statement after the results, Mr. Hichilema thanked Zambians and reached out to opposition supporters: "To those citizens who preferred the ideas presented by our opponents, we hear you, and we will continue to work for you to ensure that every Zambian benefits from the development we are delivering." Mr. Mundubile, who earlier claimed his home was raided by police and called it an attack on his life, had not commented immediately after the announcement.

Thursday's (August 13) election was widely seen as a test of Mr. Hichilema's economic recovery plan. The copper-rich nation faced a debt crisis in 2020, and Mr. Hichilema, first elected in 2021, has overseen the restructuring of Zambia's sovereign debt while reining in inflation and stabilising the currency.

International observers, including the European Union, described the election as largely peaceful but noted serious shortcomings. "Late legal changes, legal uncertainty, and unequal campaign conditions distorted the playing field," said Michael McNamara, chief of the EU observation mission. He added that the broader electoral process "took place in an environment that limited fundamental freedoms."

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops also raised concerns, particularly about the deployment of the army during vote counting. In a pastoral statement, the bishops said: "The maintenance of order during elections is constitutionally and statutorily the responsibility of the Zambia Police Service."

The election outcome gives Mr. Hichilema a clear mandate to continue his economic agenda, but the controversies surrounding the process are likely to remain a focal point for political debate. The opposition has not yet stated whether it will challenge the results in court. Zambia's constitution allows candidates to petition the results within a specified period.