Hichilema Wins Second Term as Zambia President After Contested Election
By TUW
President Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected for a second five-year term after securing victory in Zambia’s presidential election held on 13 August 2026.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Hichilema the winner in the early hours of Tuesday, 18 August, confirming that the incumbent had secured 2,965,326 votes.
Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), defeated his main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the Tonse Alliance, who received about 38% of the vote. Hichilema secured roughly 61%, giving him a clear majority and avoiding the need for a second round.
The election, however, was not without controversy. Vote counting was temporarily suspended after the Electoral Commission reported attacks on election officials and the theft of ballot papers. Security forces were subsequently deployed around some election facilities as authorities worked to restore order and continue the counting process.
Mundubile and opposition figures raised concerns about the conduct of the election and questioned aspects of the results process. The opposition had also claimed victory before the Electoral Commission announced the official outcome. Hichilema, meanwhile, called for calm and urged Zambians to await the official results.
Hichilema’s re-election extends his presidency beyond his first term, which began in 2021 after he defeated then-President Edgar Lungu.
The 2026 election was closely watched because of Zambia’s economic situation. During Hichilema’s first term, the country completed a major debt restructuring process and pursued reforms supported by international lenders. His government also sought to attract investment into the mining sector, particularly copper, one of Zambia’s most important exports.
Despite those economic gains, the campaign was dominated by concerns over the cost of living, unemployment, electricity shortages and whether ordinary Zambians were benefiting sufficiently from the country’s economic recovery.
With the election now concluded, Hichilema faces pressure to turn the economic stability achieved during his first term into stronger growth, more employment and improved living conditions.
His second term is also expected to focus heavily on Zambia’s copper industry. The government has set ambitious targets to increase copper production as global demand for the mineral continues to grow.
Hichilema has pledged to govern for all Zambians, including those who voted against him, as he begins his second term amid both economic expectations and continued political debate over the conduct of the election.
