Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema is scheduled to be sworn in for a second five-year term on Tuesday. The incumbent won the recent election with 60% of the vote according to official results, while his closest challenger, Brian Mundubile, secured 38% and contested the outcome, claiming electoral irregularities. Mundubile was unable to pursue legal recourse after the courts were sealed off on the final day permitted for filing challenges.
International election observers noted concerns about the vote tallying procedures, with European Union monitors reporting that staff at many tallying centres failed to record results on tally sheets immediately upon announcement and identified weak verification between digital records and paper documentation. Returning officers were also observed frequently halting proceedings while awaiting guidance from central headquarters.
Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, went into hiding following the election but were apprehended by police in the days afterward and subsequently charged. The arrest followed a security force raid on a capital property linked to the opposition, during which a former cabinet minister was killed and several opposition politicians were detained. Authorities alleged the opposition had plotted armed insurrection, claims the opposition rejected.
Hichilema, 64, took office in 2021 after winning by a landslide when Zambia faced economic crisis, including sovereign debt default and inflation exceeding 24% annually. During his first term, he negotiated debt restructuring and restored foreign creditor relationships, though inflation remains elevated and cost-of-living pressures persist for many citizens. Several African leaders from neighbouring nations are expected to attend the inauguration ceremony at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
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