LUSAKA — Zambia holds a presidential election on Thursday, August 13, as incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema seeks a second five-year term. Brian Mundubile serves as Hichilema's main challenger in the contest, which features fourteen candidates vying for the presidency.

Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in Lusaka for President Hakainde Hichilema’s final campaign rally, where the 64-year-old leader addressed the crowd. "Have you also agreed to vote for the UPND?" Hichilema asked attendees, referring to his United Party for National Development. He told supporters his government had expanded free education and hired nurses and teachers during his tenure.

"We love you so much and this is why we are working round the clock to lower the cost of living," Hichilema said at the rally. He urged voters to engage broadly in the electoral process. "Are you ready to campaign? Campaign at the schools, colleges, in the rooms to your roommates, at the market when you are buying something, campaign in the bus -- everywhere," he added.

Brian Mundubile, a 55-year-old former provincial minister and member of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity, entered the presidential race in May as the candidate of the Tonse Alliance opposition coalition. Clashes at some of his early rallies led police to use tear gas against supporters, prompting Mundubile to shift much of his campaign activity online. The Tonse Alliance accused Hichilema’s government of being behind a raid on its offices where vehicles and communication equipment were seized.

Mundubile accused authorities of using arrests and abductions to intimidate the opposition. He claimed three opposition figures could not be traced and suggested they may have been detained. Mundubile alleged that journalists, musicians and bloggers had been detained to silence voices critical of the government. "This election must not be conducted under fear," Mundubile said during a press briefing.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia reported that approximately 8.79 million voters are registered for the election. Nearly half of these registered voters are aged between 18 and 35. Polling stations will open at 06:00 local time and close 12 hours later.

Voters will also elect members of parliament and local government councilors, with the number of directly elected members of parliament rising to 226 from 156. A candidate needs more than 50 percent of valid votes to win the presidency outright; otherwise, a run-off is held. Presidential results are due August 17, according to the electoral commission's calendar.

Economic conditions remain a central issue for the electorate. More than 70 percent of Zambia’s population lives on less than three dollars a day, according to World Bank data. Zambia’s unemployment rate stands at nearly 10 percent, according to the national statistics agency.

Inflation in Zambia fell to 6.8 percent in April, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency. Economic growth in Zambia is projected at around five percent this year. Copper accounts for about 70 percent of Zambia’s export earnings and more than 10 percent of gross domestic product. The Zambian government has set a target of raising annual copper production to 3 million tonnes by 2031.

Hichilema took office as president in 2021 after winning the presidency on his sixth attempt. He had lost five previous presidential elections stretching back to 2006. Hichilema was imprisoned for four months in 2017 on charges of treason.

Under his leadership, Zambia has restructured more than $12 billion in debts following a default on sovereign debt repayments in 2020. China is the top foreign investor in Zambia. Zambia accused the U.S. of tying critical minerals access to a proposed $2 billion health deal, an allegation the U.S. rejected.

Political tensions have been sharpened by a dispute between President Hakainde Hichilema and the family of late former President Edgar Lungu over Lungu's unburied body. Former President Lungu died in South Africa in June 2025. South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Lungu's family in the dispute over his burial. This conflict has energized support for the opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity.

Why It Matters

The election outcome will determine the direction of Zambia's economic recovery and its relationships with major global powers. With copper accounting for the majority of export earnings, the government's ability to meet production targets and manage debt restructuring remains critical. The demographic profile of the electorate, with nearly half of voters aged 18 to 35, suggests that youth engagement and employment concerns will heavily influence the result.

Accusations of political repression and the handling of opposition activities affect perceptions of electoral integrity and civil liberties. The dispute over former President Lungu's burial reflects deepening political divisions that extend beyond policy differences. International observers and domestic stakeholders will monitor whether the voting process adheres to constitutional provisions and whether the transition of power or continuation of the current administration addresses the widespread poverty affecting more than 70 percent of the population.

Timeline

Hichilema was imprisoned for four months in 2017 on charges of treason. Zambia defaulted on sovereign debt repayments in 2020. Hichilema won the presidency in 2021 on his sixth attempt.

Hakainde Hichilema took office as president in 2021. Former President Lungu died in South Africa in June 2025. Inflation in Zambia fell to 6.8 percent in April, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency. Brian Mundubile entered the presidential race in May. Polls shall take place on Thursday, 13th August 2026 between 06:00 hrs and 18:00 hrs.

What's New

A study titled When party policies do not matter: Examination, the ambivalence of voting behaviors in the Zambian presidential elections was published in 2018 in African Journal of Political Science and International Relations. The Constitutional Court of Zambia dismissed a petition challenging the eligibility of President Hakainde Hichilema to contest the August 13 General Election as the presidential candidate for the United Party for National Development (UPND), ruling that the matter lacked merit. A study titled Where Are the Sore Losers? Competitive Authoritarianism, Incumbent Defeat, and Electoral Trust in Zambia’s 2021 Election was published in 2024 in Public Opinion Quarterly. "You expect a minimum of three years to be able to drive an economic agenda and turn around a country. That has passed and they’ve had five years. But these effects have not yet trickled down to the Zambian people." Former President Lungu died in South Africa in June 2025. "Are you ready to campaign? Campaign at the schools, colleges, in the rooms to your roommates, at the market when you are buying something, campaign in the bus -- everywhere." "We love you so much and this is why we are working round the clock to lower the cost of living." Inflation in Zambia fell to 6.8 percent in April, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency.

How Sources Differ

The Zambia Statistics Consumer Price Index report states that inflation in Zambia fell to 6.8 percent in April, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency. The Zambia Statistics Agency labour force survey states that Zambia’s unemployment rate stands at nearly 10 percent, according to the national statistics agency. Desk web sources state that the Constitutional Court of Zambia dismissed a petition challenging the eligibility of President Hakainde Hichilema to contest the August 13 General Election as the presidential candidate for the United Party for National Development (UPND).

United Party for National Development party records state that Hakainde Hichilema is the leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND). Newsdata sources state that a dispute between President Hakainde Hichilema and the family of late former President Lungu over Lungu's unburied body has sharpened political divisions and energized support for the opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP).