Lusaka— President Hakainde Hichilema has maintained his lead in Zambia’s presidential election after the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced results from 27 of the country’s 226 constituencies.

According to the latest results, President Hichilema has secured 243,509 votes, while his closest challenger, Brian Mundubile, has polled 161,883 votes.

Hichilema therefore leads Mundubile by 81,626 votes based on results announced so far.

The figures represent results from only a fraction of Zambia’s constituencies, with the ECZ expected to announce another batch of results at 21:00 hours local time.

The election is being closely watched as President Hichilema seeks to retain the presidency amid opposition concerns over the rising cost of living and the government’s economic record.

The final outcome will depend on results from the remaining constituencies as the electoral commission continues the official tallying process.

The ECZ is expected to continue releasing results progressively until all constituencies have been accounted for and a final winner is declared.