'Sweet victory’: Lusaka erupts after Hichilema win
Key Takeaways
- Hichilema won 2,965,326 votes, about 61.8 percent of the poll.
- Brian Mundubile secured 38 percent and called for an investigation into alleged irregularities.
- Supporters celebrated Hichilema’s victory across Lusaka.
Supporters flooded the streets of Zambia’s capital after Hakainde Hichilema secured about 61.8 percent of the presidential vote.
Lusaka erupted in celebration after Zambia’s electoral commission on Tuesday declared President Hakainde Hichilema the winner of the election, securing him a second five-year term.
The result was announced at the electoral commission’s headquarters in the capital, where members of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) celebrated with champagne. Outside, supporters poured onto the streets, honking car horns, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks.
Hichilema won 2,965,326 votes, accounting for around 61.8 percent of the poll, according to commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis. His main challenger, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, secured 38 percent.
"I think this is a sweet victory, and as you know that in this political contestation we've had quite a number of players," said UPND media director Mark Simuuwe.
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Simuuwe praised the government’s economic record and employment initiatives during Hichilema’s first term, which followed Zambia’s sovereign debt default in 2020.
"We've managed to reduce inflation, of course, to single digits from over 22 percent. We've managed to also improve our GDP from negative 2.7 to 5.8. And for us, this is a milestone. We are very excited, and we just call for peace and we call for stability, because a country that has peace will attract foreign direct investment," he added, noting that the next priority will be steps to reduce the cost of living.
According to media reports, the August 13 election was largely peaceful, although counting was temporarily suspended in some areas following attacks on election officials and the theft of ballot papers.
Mundubile called for an investigation into alleged irregularities.
Zambia has held competitive elections since returning to multiparty democracy in 1991, with power changing hands between rival parties through elections. Hichilema defeated incumbent Edgar Lungu in 2021, marking another peaceful transfer of power.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
