Zambia Election Result Hands Hichilema a Second Term Outright

President Hakainde Hichilema has been declared the winner of the recent Zambia elections, securing around 60 percent of the vote without the need for a runoff. The Electoral Commission of Zambia announced the result early on Tuesday, August 18, based on polling that took place on Thursday, August 13. Hichilema received 2,965,326 votes, while his opponent Brian Mundubile garnered 1,856,217 votes. The commission also ruled one candidate ineligible on the eve of the poll, leaving 14 candidates in total.

Turnout was approximately 57 percent of the registered 8,786,300 voters, down from 70.61 percent in 2021. During the disruptive week of the elections, eleven individuals, including several senior opposition figures, were arrested in a raid involving gunfire. Counting was initially suspended on Friday due to reported violence and stolen ballot papers, but was later resumed.

The opposition, led by Mundubile, claims that results forms may have been tampered with and has called for an independent investigation. They have also stated their intention to file a petition in the Constitutional Court, given their seven-day window following the declaration.

Zambia's government bonds have returned about 36 percent in US dollar terms, as of late July. The kwacha has seen a 20 percent increase against the dollar this year. However, copper production fell short of the government's one-million-tonne target for 2025, reaching about 890,000 tonnes. The long-term target is three million tonnes by 2031.

The country's extended credit facility, worth US$1.7 billion, concluded its sixth and final review on January 27, 2026. Lusaka is looking for a successor program, but none has been agreed upon.