LUSAKA, Zambia — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has won reelection for a second five-year term, securing an outright first-round victory in a closely watched contest dominated by economic hardship, debt recovery and the country’s strategic position as a major global copper producer.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Hichilema the winner early Tuesday after he received 2,965,326 votes, or 61.4% of the more than 5 million ballots cast. His main challenger, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, received 1,856,217 votes, or about 38%.
Under Zambia’s electoral system, a presidential candidate must receive more than 50% of valid votes to avoid a runoff. Hichilema’s result comfortably cleared that threshold, giving him a direct mandate to continue the economic program he began after taking office in 2021.
“I therefore declare Hakainde Hichilema S. to be president-elect of the Republic of Zambia this 18th day of August, 2026,” Electoral Commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said while announcing the result.
Hichilema’s victory gives him another term to pursue policies aimed at reviving the economy, attracting mining investment, restructuring Zambia’s debt and expanding electricity generation. But the result does not erase public frustration over high food prices, joblessness, power shortages and the rising cost of living that shaped the election campaign.
Mundubile and his supporters alleged irregularities in the vote-counting process, including concerns about possible alterations to polling-station result forms. The opposition called for an independent investigation, while Hichilema’s camp rejected accusations of fraud.
A decisive first-round victory
Hichilema, 64, was widely expected to win, in part because of the advantages of incumbency and his government’s record on debt restructuring. But the scale of his margin was significant, particularly given the difficult economic conditions facing many Zambian households.
Partial results released during the count had already shown Hichilema leading by a wide margin. With results from about 71% of constituencies counted, Reuters reported that he had roughly 62% of valid votes compared with 36% for Mundubile.
The final result confirmed that early lead. Hichilema won the election without needing a second round, defeating a field of 13 challengers. Mundubile was the only opposition candidate to secure a substantial share of the vote; the remaining candidates trailed well behind.
The election was Hichilema’s seventh attempt to win the presidency. A businessman and former opposition leader, he lost multiple presidential contests before defeating Edgar Lungu in 2021. His first victory was widely regarded as an important democratic transition in southern Africa, with Lungu conceding defeat after the result was announced.
This time, Hichilema sought reelection on the argument that his administration had stabilized the economy after an inherited debt crisis and created conditions for longer-term growth.
His opponents argued that economic reforms had not delivered sufficient improvements in daily life, pointing to high living costs, unemployment, and repeated electricity shortages.
The election result suggests that a majority of voters accepted Hichilema’s argument that the government needs more time to translate macroeconomic recovery into household-level gains.
The economic record
Hichilema’s central campaign message was economic recovery.
When he took office in 2021, Zambia was dealing with the consequences of becoming Africa’s first pandemic-era sovereign default. The country had struggled under a heavy debt burden, weak currency, high inflation and pressure on public finances.
Under Hichilema, Zambia reached a debt-restructuring agreement with official creditors and later advanced negotiations with private creditors. The process helped to re-open access to international financial support and was seen by investors as a step toward restoring confidence in the country’s economic management.
The president has argued that debt restructuring was necessary to free up resources for social programs, infrastructure and investment. He has also sought to position Zambia as a more predictable destination for mining companies and other foreign investors.
The country is Africa’s second-largest copper producer, and copper is central to Zambia’s economic future. It is used for power grids, electric vehicles, renewable-energy systems, construction and electronics. Demand for the metal is being driven by governments and companies investing in energy transition technologies.
Zambia’s copper reserves have made it strategically important to both China and the United States, which are competing for influence over global supplies of critical minerals. Reuters described Zambia as a focus of that competition, as Western governments and companies seek to diversify mineral supply chains while China maintains a large presence in African mining.
Hichilema has pledged to increase copper production substantially, with a goal of reaching 3 million metric tons a year by 2031. Supporters say higher production could increase export earnings, government revenue, and employment. Critics caution that mining growth alone will not solve broader inequality unless it produces more local jobs, infrastructure, and social investment.
Cost-of-living pressures remain
The election also took place against a backdrop of real economic hardship.
Many Zambians have faced high food prices, unemployment and the effects of a prolonged drought that hurt agricultural production and reduced hydroelectric generation. The country depends heavily on hydropower, and lower water levels caused widespread power shortages that disrupted homes, businesses and mining operations. The staple maize product eaten throughout Zambia, mealie meal, became a real political issue. With prices rising, household budgets were under pressure and opposition parties took the opportunity to claim that Hichilema’s economic reforms had yet to benefit ordinary citizens.
Mundubile campaigned on concerns that the government was too focused on international lenders and foreign investment while failing to address immediate hardship at home. His 38% vote share shows that the opposition retained a substantial base, even though it was unable to prevent Hichilema’s first-round victory.
The president’s challenge now is to show that national economic recovery can improve the lives of people facing high prices and limited work opportunities. Debt restructuring and investor confidence are important, but voters will judge the government by employment, food prices, electricity access, health services, education and household income.
Hichilema has promised to double the size of Zambia’s economy, expand opportunity and create jobs during his second term.
Delivering those goals will require growth beyond mining. Agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, digital services and small businesses will all be important if Zambia is to broaden its economic base and reduce its vulnerability to commodity-price cycles.
Opposition allegations and election tensions
The election was not free of controversy.
Mundubile alleged that results forms from polling stations may have been altered and called for an urgent, independent investigation. The opposition’s fraud claims followed reports of attacks on election officials and stolen ballot papers that briefly interrupted vote counting in some areas.
Hichilema’s party rejected the allegations, and the Electoral Commission proceeded with the final declaration of results.
Claims of irregularities are likely to fuel political tension in the days ahead. Opposition parties may seek legal remedies, though analysts cited by Reuters said any challenge would be unlikely to succeed.
The handling of the aftermath will matter for Zambia’s democratic reputation. The country has a history of competitive elections and peaceful transfers of power, but also periods of political pressure, media concerns, and disputes over electoral institutions. If candidates and supporters respond peacefully, it would strengthen the country’s democratic credentials. Escalation, violence or prolonged uncertainty could undermine confidence at a time when Zambia is trying to attract investment and consolidate its economic recovery.
International observers and regional institutions are likely to monitor how the opposition’s claims are addressed, whether legal processes are available and whether authorities protect the rights of citizens to protest and express political views peacefully.
The China-U.S. competition for copper
Zambia’s strategic importance extends beyond its domestic politics.
The country holds major copper resources and is central to efforts to develop new transport and export routes for minerals in southern and central Africa. Copper is essential to electrification, including electric vehicles, data centers, renewable-energy infrastructure, and modern power grids.
China has long been a major investor and trading partner in Zambia’s mining sector. The United States and its allies have also sought stronger partnerships, partly through support for the Lobito Corridor, a rail and trade route intended to link mineral-rich regions of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast.
The corridor is seen as a way to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on routes and infrastructure influenced by China. Hichilema’s government has supported greater international investment, seeking to benefit from competition among global powers without becoming overly dependent on any single partner.
That balancing act will become more difficult as demand for critical minerals rises. Zambia wants investment, jobs and infrastructure, but it must also manage environmental concerns, community rights, tax revenues and the risk that profits from mineral exports do not translate into broad development.
Hichilema’s second term will therefore have implications not only for Zambia’s economy but also for international competition over the materials required for the global energy transition.
The mandate and the challenge ahead
Hichilema’s reelection gives him a clear electoral mandate. His 61.4% share of the vote provides a stronger political foundation than a narrow victory would have, and it allows his government to claim public support for its economic direction.
But the result also raises expectations.
Zambians who voted for Hichilema will expect the next five years to bring visible improvement. Those who voted for Mundubile will expect the government to acknowledge their concerns rather than dismiss them as partisan criticism.
The priorities are clear: stabilize food prices, strengthen electricity supply, create jobs, attract responsible mining investment and ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach households beyond Lusaka and the Copperbelt.
The president must also maintain democratic confidence. A strong election victory is not a substitute for transparent institutions, an independent electoral process, a free press and space for opposition parties to operate.
For Hichilema, the election is both a reward for his first-term economic agenda and a warning about the limits of macroeconomic success. Debt restructuring, mining investment and international partnerships may lay the foundation for growth. His second term will be judged by whether that foundation becomes a more secure and affordable life for Zambia’s citizens.