Zambia held presidential elections that resulted in the re-election of incumbent Hakainde Hichilema for a second five-year term. The electoral commission announced that Hichilema obtained 60% of the votes cast. His nearest competitor, Brian Mundubile of the NRPUP party, received 38% of the vote, with 12 remaining candidates receiving substantially fewer votes.
Following the results announcement, Mundubile stated his intention to pursue a legal challenge, claiming his party had documented evidence of voting irregularities. The NRPUP party disclosed to the BBC that Mundubile had relocated to a secure location under the protection of an international human rights organization due to threats directed at him. Local media outlets reported that Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu were sheltering at a UN agency facility in Lusaka over concerns about potential arrests. These developments followed a raid on Friday in which authorities arrested several opposition figures and accused them of planning an insurrection—allegations that Mundubile characterized as fabricated.
Mundubile released a statement asserting that the election results did not accurately represent actual voting patterns across the country and promised to submit evidence of irregularities to appropriate legal institutions through lawful means. He rejected government allegations linking the NRPUP to any insurgency or security threats, emphasizing that his campaign centered on peace. Mundubile also referenced a raid on his residence in which he said armed personnel fired weapons and allegedly shot former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya, whose whereabouts remained unknown.
Hichilema’s statement following his victory declaration emphasized Zambia’s commitment to democracy and peaceful conflict resolution through ballot mechanisms rather than other means. The president’s supporters celebrated in the capital’s streets. Officials from Hichilema’s United Party for National Development rejected Mundubile’s characterization of events, with election agent Mulambo Haimbe stating that matters would be addressed through appropriate legal channels if challenges were filed.
Regional and international observers noted that election day proceedings were predominantly peaceful but raised concerns about late electoral reforms, media freedom limitations, and unequal campaign access. The electoral commission briefly suspended vote counting on the day after polling due to reports of violence against polling personnel and ballot paper theft in certain areas, though the suspension was lifted the same day.
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