President Hakainde Hichilema has been re‑elected for a second five‑year term after the electoral commission announced that he captured 60 percent of the votes cast in Zambia’s general election.
His nearest competitor, Brian Mundubile, received 38 percent of the ballots, while the remaining twelve candidates trailed far behind.
The results followed a disputed election process: Mundubile earlier claimed victory and alleged irregularities, though he presented no evidence.
High‑profile opposition figures were arrested after a raid on Friday, for which the authorities charged them with plotting an insurrection. Mundubile called these claims fabricated.
In a statement after the announcement, Hichilema said, “We are truly humbled by the trust you have placed in our hands.” He also declared that Zambia is a “peaceful, law‑and‑order, democratic nation that settles differences at the ballot box, and nowhere else.”
He added, “To those citizens who preferred the ideas presented by our opponents, we hear you, and we will continue to work for you.”
Hundreds of Hichilema’s supporters, all clad in red, flooded the streets of Lusaka to celebrate the results, hugging officials and waving party flags.
Since Zambia returned to multiparty democracy in 1991, presidential transitions have been conducted peacefully through elections, yet the opposition’s challenge to this outcome remains uncertain.
Mundubile claimed that discrepancies existed between results announced by polling stations and the final tally, and that the military had intervened at counting centers. He reported an armed raid on his home that he said involved an armored vehicle and gunfire.
Supporters and the general public urged restraint, and regional observers described the election day as largely peaceful but raised concerns about the timing of reforms, media freedoms and the brief suspension of the vote count.
The EU mission warned that restrictions on opposition campaigning may have contributed to an uneven contest, and observers noted intimidation and property damage in several provinces during the weeks leading up to the vote.
