Zambia's Hichilema re-elected amid chaotic opposition surge
An election official displays a ballot paper as observers look on during the counting of votes after the polls closed at a polling station in Lusaka, Zambia, during Zambia's general elections, including the presidential election, August 13, 2026.
Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema was re-elected for a second term, but the opposition leader put in an unexpectedly strong showing, capitalising on public frustration with lingering hardships despite an economic turnaround.
Results released by the election commission in the early hours of Tuesday morning showed that Hichilema received roughly 60 percent of valid votes, compared with 38 percent for his main challenger Brian Mundubile.
