Zambian voters headed to the polls on Thursday in a presidential election where incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema seeks a second term. Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. (4 GMT) and were set to close after 12 hours, with 8.7 million registered voters.
The election is seen as a test of the economic reforms introduced by Hichilema's government and whether they are enough to overcome widespread concerns about rising living costs. According to World Bank data, over 70% of Zambia's 22 million people live on less than $3 a day. Although inflation fell to 6.8% in April and the kwacha strengthened, many still face high food and energy costs. Unemployment stands at about 10%.
Zambia has long been regarded as one of Africa's more stable democracies, but Hichilema's government is under scrutiny over concerns that space for dissent is shrinking, even as the government commits to a stronger economic recovery.
Hichilema, 64, is a wealthy businessman who won the 2021 election on his sixth attempt. He is betting on job creation and an ambitious infrastructure program to secure a final five-year term.
His main challenger among 13 other candidates is Brian Mundubile, a former minister in the Patriotic Front (PF) government that ruled from 2011 to 2021. Mundubile, 55, backed by an alliance of opposition parties, is running under the newly formed NRPUP, a party whose political base largely derives from the former ruling party. He entered the race in May, adding an unexpected element to an election that had seemed to tilt heavily toward Hichilema.
Speaking to AFP on Wednesday, Mundubile said the government had tightened restrictions on his party's campaign and that he did not consider the election free and fair. He said an opposition victory would begin with 'national reconstruction' and reconciliation in a country he described as deeply divided. 'A divided country is very difficult to develop,' he said.
In addition to the presidency, Zambian voters are also electing 226 parliamentary seats, up from the previous 156. Voting traditionally falls along regional lines, with Hichilema's party strongest in the south and west, while the PF maintains support in the north and the Copperbelt. Presidential results are expected on August 17. The winner needs more than 50% of the vote to avoid a second round.
