President Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected to a second five-year term in Zambia. Official results from the election commission show Hichilema won over 60 percent of the valid votes in the first round, compared to approximately 38 percent for his main challenger, Brian Mundubile.
The election served as a referendum on Hichilema's first term, during which he campaigned on a record of economic recovery. This progress included a major debt restructuring deal that helped Zambia's economy return to growth after years of fiscal distress.
Despite the economic turnaround, Hichilema faces ongoing pressure to provide more jobs and opportunities. Critics have accused his government of failing to ease poverty and becoming less tolerant of dissent, while the opposition leader has claimed there were serious irregularities in the vote.
The election period was marked by allegations of armed plots, intimidation, and electoral interference, raising concerns about the state of the country's democracy. Authorities also launched raids against leading opposition figures on election night. Hichilema's second term will now test whether the economic recovery can deliver real change for Zambians.