Zambia Election: Hichilema Nears Second-Term Victory With 62% Lead
By FRANKLIN FRANCIS FREY
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has taken a decisive early advantage in Zambia’s presidential election, leading his closest rival by a wide margin as partial results continue to emerge.
Results from about 71 per cent of constituencies show Hichilema with roughly 62 per cent of valid votes.
His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, trails with about 36 per cent.
More than 1.5 million voters have backed Hichilema in the results counted so far, strengthening his prospects of winning a second term.
The numbers are particularly significant because Zambia requires a presidential candidate to secure more than half of all valid votes to avoid a second-round election.
At 62 per cent, Hichilema currently stands well above that threshold.
The remaining results could still affect the final margin. Nevertheless, the incumbent’s lead gives him a strong advantage as the electoral authorities continue the collation process.
Economic management has featured prominently in Hichilema’s campaign for re-election.
He has presented debt restructuring as one of the defining achievements of his administration. His government has also highlighted efforts to restore growth in the mining industry and expand access to free public education.
Those issues carry enormous weight in a country whose economic fortunes remain closely linked to the mining sector.
Zambia is Africa’s second-largest copper producer, behind the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country’s copper reserves and wider mineral resources also place it in an increasingly strategic position as global demand grows for minerals needed for energy transition technologies and modern infrastructure.
The presidential contest, therefore, has attracted attention not only because of its domestic political implications but also because of Zambia’s importance to Africa’s mineral economy.
An outright victory would allow Hichilema to avoid the uncertainty and political tension of a runoff and provide his government with a fresh mandate to continue its economic programme.
For Mundubile and the opposition, the remaining results will determine whether the gap can narrow significantly before the final declaration.
At the moment, however, the arithmetic strongly favours the incumbent.
With roughly 62 per cent of the vote and more than 1.5 million ballots already secured, Hichilema appears increasingly positioned to return to State House for another term, subject to the final official results.
