Zambia President Hichilema has been reelected for a second term

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second five-year term in the recent presidential election, the Electoral Commission of Zambia declared on Tuesday. Hichilema garnered 61.4% of the 5 million votes cast, winning with 2,965,326 votes compared to his nearest rival, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who received 1,856,217 votes.

The Electoral Commission chairperson, Mwangala Zaloumis, formally declared Hichilema the president-elect on the 18th of August, 2026. The election, held last Thursday, initially required a run-off but was declared a decisive victory for Hichilema without the need for a second round. The election witnessed heightened security measures following reports of attacks against polling station officials and ballot paper thefts.

The government also noted the arrest of several opposition figures, accusing them of posing a threat to state security. Hichilema's re-election comes as he seeks to implement his economic recovery plan following a debt crisis in Zambia, a copper-rich nation.