Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema Secures Second Term Amid Fraud Allegations and Election Tensions

Zambian incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema cast his ballot at the Kabulonga Boys Secondary School polling station in Lusaka on August 13, 2026. Official results released by the electoral commission in the early hours of Tuesday morning revealed that President Hakainde Hichilema secured re-election for a second term, capturing roughly 60 percent of the valid votes.

His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, finished with 38 percent of the vote in what marked his first bid to become head of state, while the victory came during President Hakainde Hichilema’s seventh run for the presidency. Following a relatively quiet run-up to the August 13 vote, tensions escalated rapidly.

On election night, authorities arrested 11 individuals, including leading opposition figures, during a raid involving an exchange of gunfire while Brian Mundubile was present. Vote-counting was subsequently suspended by the electoral commission for hours due to reports of violence targeting polling staff and the theft of ballot papers.

Brian Mundubile alleged he received information regarding the possible alteration of results forms from polling stations, prompting him to demand an urgent independent investigation. Meanwhile, the camp of President Hakainde Hichilema dismissed the claims, accusing Brian Mundubile of lying.