Zambia's opposition leader, Brian Mundubile, said he would challenge the presidential election results in court, alleging fraud in the vote that gave President Hakainde Hichilema a second term.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mundubile said: “Our campaign has noted serious irregularities, contradictions, and circumstances surrounding the conduct, counting, transmission, and announcement of results.”
The vote last week was largely peaceful, but the opposition says its campaign was hampered by intimidation and restrictions, concerns also echoed by international election observers.
Zambia's electoral commission declared Hichilema the winner with about 60% of the vote early Tuesday, while Mundubile secured just 38%.
After a relatively quiet period before the August 13 election in the nation of 22 million, tensions escalated quickly after polling stations closed. Authorities arrested 11 people, including senior opposition figures, during an incident involving gunfire exchange while Mundubile was present. The electoral commission also suspended vote counting for hours amid reports of violence against polling staff and ballot theft.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday expressed concern over the arrests of opposition officials. Turk stressed that all arrests “must fully comply with international human rights standards as well as Zambia's domestic laws.”
Hichilema entered the race as the frontrunner after leading Zambia through major economic reforms and debt restructuring. However, his first term was also overshadowed by concerns about political space in Zambia, with opposition parties and civil society groups accusing the government of stifling dissent.
The incumbent's second term will be shaped by demands for stronger accountability, national unity, and broader benefits from economic growth. Hichilema is expected to be sworn in within seven days of the commission announcing official results, expected before August 24, but the opposition's planned legal challenge could delay the process.
