Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected for a second five-year term after securing 60% of the vote, according to the country’s electoral commission.
His closest challenger, Brian Mundubile of the NRPUP, received 38%, while the remaining 12 candidates trailed significantly behind.
Mundubile has rejected the result and says his party will pursue a legal challenge, while he remains in hiding over what his party describes as threats against him.
Hichilema wins second term
Hichilema, 64, was first elected president in 2021 after five unsuccessful attempts at the presidency.
Following the declaration of the results, he thanked voters for their confidence and described the election as evidence that Zambia remains a peaceful democratic nation.
“We are truly humbled by the trust you have placed in our hands.”
He said political differences should be settled through the ballot box and pledged to continue working for citizens who supported other candidates.
Hundreds of supporters of Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND), dressed in the party’s red colours, took to the streets of Lusaka to celebrate his victory.
Mundubile disputes election result
Mundubile, 55, has rejected the election outcome, arguing that the results do not accurately represent what happened during the election.
He said his party had gathered records and other evidence of alleged voting irregularities and would present them to the appropriate legal institutions.
“We have evidence. We have records. We have documented what we could as events unfolded,” he said.
The opposition leader urged his supporters to remain calm and said he was not calling for violence or retaliation.
Mundubile also rejected government allegations linking his party or people associated with it to an insurgency or threats to national security.
Opposition leader goes into hiding
Mundubile’s party confirmed that he had gone into hiding in what it described as a secure location under the protection of an international human rights organisation because of alleged threats against him.
Local media reports said Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, were at a UN agency in Lusaka amid fears of arrest.
The development follows the arrest of several senior opposition figures during a security raid on Friday. Authorities accused those arrested of involvement in an alleged insurrection plot.
Mundubile described the allegations as fabricated.
Disputed raid raises security concerns
Mundubile has also alleged that armed personnel raided his home in Lusaka, claiming that an armoured vehicle was used to break through the gate before shots were fired.
He said former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya was shot during the incident and remained missing, with his family allegedly lacking adequate information about his whereabouts.
Mundubile denied claims that high-grade military weapons or a militia were present at the property.
However, Mulambo Haimbe, Hichilema’s election agent and a senior UPND member, rejected Mundubile’s account of the incident.
He said criminal charges were being pursued against those arrested and that the courts would determine the various issues if the opposition formally challenged the election result.
Observers raise concerns over election process
Zambia has a history of peaceful transfers of power, with presidential transitions taking place through elections since the country returned to multiparty democracy in 1991.
However, regional and international observers raised concerns about aspects of the latest election.
The electoral commission briefly suspended the counting and announcement of results a day after voting, citing violence against polling staff and the theft of marked ballot papers. The suspension was lifted later the same day.
Observers generally described election day as peaceful but raised concerns about late electoral reforms, media freedom and opposition access to the media during the campaign.
The European Union observation mission also warned that restrictions affecting the opposition during the campaign period may have contributed to what it described as an uneven contest.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission also reported receiving allegations of intimidation, assault, abduction and property damage in five provinces, although it said the reports could not be verified.
Observers further cautioned that the temporary suspension of vote counting could affect public confidence in the electoral process.
Zambia faces post-election tensions
With Hichilema securing a second term and Mundubile preparing to challenge the results, attention now turns to the legal process and the wider political situation.
Mundubile has called on his supporters to remain peaceful, while Hichilema has emphasised Zambia’s democratic tradition and the importance of resolving political differences through established institutions.
The developments surrounding the election, including the arrests of opposition figures and allegations of intimidation, are likely to remain under scrutiny as the country moves into the next stage of the electoral process.
