Antony Chawagarira
LUSAKA — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is maintaining a strong lead in the country’s presidential election as the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) continues announcing results, with the incumbent seeking to secure a second term.
The latest results put Hichilema at 54.82 percent, translating to 1,056,812 votes, while his closest challenger, Brian Mundubile, has 830,841 votes, representing about 43 percent of the votes counted so far.
The figures were announced after results from 105 of Zambia’s 226 constituencies had been declared, placing Hichilema above the constitutional threshold required to win the presidency without a run-off.
However, the race remains open as counting is still underway and the ECZ is yet to declare a winner.
Under Zambia’s electoral system, a presidential candidate must secure more than 50 percent of the valid vote to win outright. Failure by any candidate to cross the threshold would trigger a second-round election within 37 days.
Hichilema, who won the presidency in 2021 after defeating then-incumbent Edgar Lungu, is seeking another five-year mandate on the back of his administration’s economic recovery efforts, including debt restructuring and efforts to attract investment.
Mundubile, the Tonse Alliance candidate, has mounted a strong challenge, campaigning on concerns over the cost of living and promising changes to the country’s economic and political direction.
The contest has been overshadowed by disruptions to the counting process after the ECZ temporarily suspended the announcement of results following reports of violence against election officials and theft of marked ballot papers. The commission later resumed the process after the security situation was brought under control.
Mundubile has also claimed victory based on his party’s parallel vote tabulation, although the ECZ has warned candidates against declaring themselves winners before the official results are announced.
With Hichilema currently above the 50-percent mark, attention is now focused on whether the remaining constituencies will consolidate his lead or push the election into a run-off.
For now, the question remains: Can Hichilema hold on to his lead and secure a second term, or will Mundubile stage a late comeback?
The final answer will come only when the ECZ completes the count and formally declares the winner.
