Zambians are awaiting official presidential results after voting concluded Thursday in a general election that will determine whether President Hakainde Hichilema secures a second term. Polls closed across the southern African nation with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) beginning the count, though full official results are expected to take days. Early tallying from individual polling stations uploaded to the ECZ website and social media show Hichilemas United Party for National Development (UPND) holding commanding leads in multiple constituencies.
Preliminary Results Favor Incumbent
Preliminary figures from polling stations across provinces including Southern, Lusaka, and Northern show the UPND outperforming opposition challenger Brian Mundubile of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP). In some stations, Hichilema secured over 70 percent of ballots cast. Mundubile, who emerged from a fragmented opposition alliance after former president Edgar Lungu was ruled ineligible and later died in 2025, has struggled to mount a competitive challenge.
Economic Record Under Scrutiny
The election is widely seen as a referendum on Hichilemas economic management. The former businessman won power in 2021 on promises to turn around Zambias struggling economy, which had been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, soaring inflation, and a sovereign debt default. His government secured a 1.3 billion dollar IMF bailout program and restructured billions in debt, though critics argue ordinary Zambians have yet to feel tangible benefits. High food prices and unemployment remain key concerns for voters.
Opposition Fragments
The opposition entered the election deeply divided after the Tonse Alliance, which had unified parties against Hichilema in 2021, fractured over leadership disputes. Mundubile and Harry Kalaba of Citizens First ran separately, splitting the anti-incumbent vote. Analysts say opposition disunity has significantly weakened the challenge to Hichilemas re-election bid, mirroring patterns seen in other southern African democracies.
The ECZ has urged candidates and supporters to await official announcements rather than relying on social media tallies, which may not be representative of national results.
Sources: Reuters; Africanews; Electoral Commission of Zambia; Lusaka Times
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