Zambia’s president sworn in for second term while opponent detained

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema took office for a second term following a disputed election, while his main opponent, Brian Mundubile, remains detained on treason charges. Hichilema, who received 60% of the vote on August 13, has been credited with stabilizing the economy. However, Mundubile alleges the election results were tampered with and was unable to contest the outcome due to sealed courts.

EU observers raised concerns about the accuracy of voting tallying, noting that results were not promptly recorded in many centers and there was weak verification between digital entries and paper records. On the day after the election, security forces raided a property associated with Mundubile, resulting in the death of a former cabinet minister and the arrest of several opposition politicians.

Hichilema, 64, inherited a country with a defaulted international debt and an annual inflation rate exceeding 24% when he took office in 2021. Since then, he has negotiated a debt restructuring and improved relations with foreign creditors, although inflation remains a concern.