Hichilema Is Sworn In With the Election Petition Still Unresolved
Zambia declared a public holiday for the swearing-in. The copper economy Hichilema inherits is steadier than the one he found in 2021, and the politics around it is not. The post Hichilema Is Sworn In With the Election Petition Still Unresolved appeared first on The Rio Times .
Hichilema's second term began on 1 September 2026 in Lusaka, following his re-election. The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared him the winner with 60.49% of the vote, while Brian Mundubile of the Tonse Pamodzi alliance received 37.87%. A public holiday was declared for the ceremony, which took place at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
The government highlighted positive economic indicators from the first term, including falling inflation from 24% in 2021 to 6.5% in 2026 and $12 billion in fresh mining investment. However, the opposition disputes the lack of an election petition, alleging they were unable to file one due to sealed courts for security reasons. The government points to debt restructuring and energy improvements as key achievements from the first term, while the opposition raises concerns about the treason charge against Mundubile and the status of the mining investment pipeline.
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