Hichilema wins second term
President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second term in office after winning Zambia’s 13 August presidential election by more than 1.1 million votes, giving him a strong mandate to pursue his economic programme while facing growing pressure to improve living conditions and address concerns over democratic freedoms. In his victory speech at the UPND Secretariat,... The post Hichilema wins second term appeared first on New Era .
President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second term in office after winning Zambia’s 13 August presidential election by more than 1.1 million votes, giving him a strong mandate to pursue his economic programme while facing growing pressure to improve living conditions and address concerns over democratic freedoms.
In his victory speech at the UPND Secretariat, Hichilema promised to govern beyond party lines.
“Today, the people of Zambia have spoken with a clear voice. They have chosen continuity, stability, and economic freedom. This victory is not for me, but for every Zambian child who needs a desk, every farmer who needs a market, and every young person who needs a job,” Hichilema said.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) declared Hichilema the winner in the early hours of yesterday after tallying results from all 226 constituencies.
Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), received 2.9 million votes, against 1.8 million for his main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Progress (NRPUP) and its alliance partners.
The result gave Hichilema more than 60% of the vote, securing a comfortable first-round victory. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that he won about 61%. During the campaign, Hichilema focused on economic recovery, debt restructuring, agriculture and mining investment, and efforts to stabilise the economy after Zambia’s 2020 debt default.
He also extended an olive branch to those who voted against him.
“To those who voted for my opponent, I hear you. I will be a president for all Zambians, not just those who voted for me,” he said.
His victory follows an election in which the cost of living remained one of the major concerns among voters.
Although Zambia’s economy has shown signs of recovery, many citizens continue to face high living costs, unemployment and pressure on household incomes. Reuters reported that investors now expect Hichilema’s second term to focus on moving from economic stabilisation to stronger growth and job creation.
The president’s second term will also be closely watched because international observers raised concerns about the political environment during the campaign. The European Union Election Observation Mission said the election was competitive but that restrictions on fundamental freedoms contributed to an “uneven playing field”. It also raised concerns about political violence, media bias, restrictions on assembly and the participation of women.
The SADC and other regional observers similarly urged political stakeholders to remain calm and allow the ECZ to complete the electoral process. The election itself was also disrupted by violence that temporarily forced the ECZ to suspend counting. The commission later resumed the process after security concerns were addressed.
According to the reports from the Zambia Broadcaster, a political analyst, Mwamba Chishimba, said the result represented a major shift in Zambia’s political landscape.
“The opposition now faces an existential crisis regarding its future leadership and ideology,” Chishimba said.
-ljason@nepc.com.na
