Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema Re-Elected for Second Term
LUSAKA — August 18, 2026 — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second five-year term in office, winning a decisive victory in the August 13 presidential election without the need for a runoff, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced early Tuesday.
According to official results, Hichilema received more than 2.9 million votes, representing approximately 60 percent of the valid votes cast . His main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the National Restoration Party for Unity and Progress (NRPUP), secured 1.8 million votes, or roughly 38 percent .
Keiko Fujimori is Peru’s new President Following Narrow Election Victory | Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin Resigns Amid Political Transition and Return of Ousted PM.
“I therefore declare Hichilema Hakainde S to be president-elect of the Republic of Zambia this 18th day of August, 2026,” ECZ chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis announced at the National Election Results Center in the capital, Lusaka .
The result gives Hichilema — a 64-year-old economist and former opposition leader who first took office in August 2021 — a second mandate until 2031. He had campaigned on his economic record, particularly his handling of a pandemic-era debt crisis and the copper-rich nation’s growing role as a focal point of competition between China and the United States for critical minerals .
Election Marred by Violence and Irregularities
The electoral process was marked by significant tension. Vote counting was suspended on Friday, August 14, and resumed hours later amid heightened security after the commission reported attacks on polling station officials and the theft of ballot papers in some centers .
On the night of the election, authorities arrested 11 people, including leading opposition figures, in a raid that involved an exchange of gunfire while Mundubile was present . The government confirmed that several opposition leaders were taken into custody, with police accusing them of posing a threat to state security .
Mundubile said his home was raided by police in what he called an attack on his life . He had claimed victory based on his campaign’s independent calculations and alleged widespread irregularities, though he is not expected to mount a successful legal challenge .
International Observers Note Uneven Playing Field
International observers, including the European Union, said the election was largely peaceful but noted concerns about the broader environment. “Late legal changes, legal uncertainty, and unequal campaign conditions distorted the playing field,” said Michael McNamara, chief of the EU observation mission .
Despite the tensions, Hichilema’s victory was celebrated in the streets of Lusaka, where supporters gathered early Tuesday to greet the news of his re-election . The election saw a turnout of approximately 57 percent, with over 4.9 million valid votes cast .
The Architecture of Power: Global Political Systems, Democracy, Authoritarianism & Governance Models.
Astronauts Return to ISS After Shelter Order Due to Worsening Air Leak.
Iraq Warns It Could Leave OPEC if Production Quota Is Not Raised | Pakistan Fully Repays $3.45 Billion Loan to UAE as Saudi Support Averts Crisis.
