Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) declared Hakainde Hichilema the winner in the presidential election on August 18 after he secured 2,965,326 votes against Brian Mundubile’s 1,856,217, giving him another five-year mandate after first taking office in 2021.
Hichilema defeated opposition challenger Mundubile by more than one million votes, but his victory came amid opposition concerns over the conduct of the election and questions about the country’s political direction.
He came to power promising to rebuild an economy weakened by debt, restore investor confidence and revive growth in Africa’s second-largest copper producer.
The result begins a new phase in which Hichilema’s mandate will be tested against public expectations and questions about Zambia’s political landscape. His first term was largely focused on economic stabilisation and rebuilding international confidence. His second will be shaped by demands for stronger accountability, national unity and broader benefits from economic growth.
Copper remains central to Zambia’s future. As demand grows for the metal used in electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies and other parts of the global energy transition, the country is seeking to increase production and attract more investment. Hichilema’s re-election completes a dramatic political turnaround for a politician who spent years in opposition before defeating former President Edgar Lungu in 2021.
His United Party for National Development (UPND) campaigned on promises of economic reform, improved governance and job creation. Mundubile’s opposition alliance focused on frustration over the cost of living.
