Lusaka — President Hakainde Hichilema has been declared the winner of Zambia’s August 13 presidential election, securing a second term in office.

According to the final results announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, Hichilema polled 2,967,326 votes, representing 60.7 percent, while his closest challenger, Brian Mundubile, received 1,856,217 votes, or 38.0 percent.

The results cover all 226 constituencies, with Hichilema winning 124 constituencies against Mundubile’s 102.
Hichilema’s victory gives the incumbent a fresh mandate after a campaign dominated by the cost of living, economic recovery, unemployment and the distribution of the country’s mineral wealth.

The election followed a tense campaign and a disrupted vote-counting process, with the Electoral Commission of Zambia temporarily suspending tallying after reports of violence targeting election officials and the theft of marked ballot papers.

Mundubile had earlier claimed victory and raised allegations concerning the conduct of the election, while Hichilema urged supporters and political parties to remain calm and await the official outcome.

Hichilema, who first came to power in 2021 after defeating then-President Edgar Lungu, now begins his second term facing pressure to translate Zambia’s improving macroeconomic indicators into tangible improvements in living standards.

The result is also significant internationally, with Zambia’s copper and other critical mineral resources attracting growing strategic interest from major global powers, including China and the United States.

Hichilema’s re-election marks a continuation of his economic reform agenda and gives his administration another mandate to steer Zambia through its debt recovery and economic transformation.