Zambia's president to be inaugurated for second term as main rival remains detained

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is due to take the oath of office on Tuesday for a second five-year term, following the 13 August election in which, according to official results, he secured 60% of the vote.

Runner-up Brian Mundubile, who won 38%, claims the results were manipulated. He was unable to bring a legal challenge because the courts were closed on the final day a case could have been filed.

Observers said polling day itself passed largely without incident, though questions have arisen over how votes were tallied. EU monitors reported that at many counting centres, staff failed to record results on tally sheets immediately after announcement, and that verification between digital entries and paper records was weak. Returning officers reportedly paused proceedings repeatedly while awaiting instructions from headquarters.

Arrests and accusations

The day after the election, security forces raided a property in the capital, Lusaka, linked to Mundubile, resulting in the death of a former cabinet minister and the arrest of several opposition figures. Authorities accused the opposition of plotting an armed uprising, an allegation the opposition denies.

Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, had been in hiding but were detained by police last week and formally charged over the weekend.

Economic turnaround

Hichilema, 64, first took office in 2021 after a landslide win, at a time when Zambia had just defaulted on its international debt and inflation exceeded 24% annually. The former businessman went on to negotiate a debt restructuring deal and repair ties with foreign creditors. While inflation has since eased, prices continue to rise and many citizens still face a difficult cost of living.

Several African heads of state, including from Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Tanzania, are expected to attend the inauguration at Lusaka's National Heroes Stadium. Hichilema will take the oath alongside his running mate, Mutale Nalumango.