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7h ago

Zambia Faces Two-Way Presidential Test Over Economic Gains

It will reveal whether IMF-backed recovery through debt restructuring has convinced voters who still face high food costs.

Two women walk past electoral campaign posters in Lusaka, on August 9, 2026. Zambians vote Thursday in a closely watched presidential election that will test whether recent economic gains can offset frustration over the high cost of living in one of Africa's most stable democracies. Incumbent Hakainde Hichilema faces Brian Mundubile, a former ally of late president Edgar Lungu, who surged to the front of a fragmented opposition after being backed by a coalition of rival parties. Up to 8.7 million voters -- a majority of them women -- will decide whether Hichilema's economic reforms deserve another term or whether the opposition can turn widespread discontent into a comeback. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP via Getty Images)
Presidential results are due August 17
Up to 8.7 million Zambians are eligible to vote
Hakainde Hichilema won the presidency in 2021 on his sixth attempt

Overview

  • Voting opens Thursday for a presidential race that has narrowed into a head-to-head contest between incumbent Hakainde Hichilema and challenger Brian Mundubile.
  • The Electoral Commission says polling stations will open at 0600 local time for 12 hours and presidential results are due on August 17 with a run-off required if no candidate wins more than 50 percent.
  • Campaigns have seen clashes, police use of tear gas and opposition claims of intimidation including an allegation of snipers at a rally in Mongu, raising concerns about the conduct of the vote.
  • Nearly half of registered voters are ages 18–35, making youth turnout a potentially decisive factor as parties court young, rural and female voters across key provinces.
  • Hichilema’s government won praise for a landmark debt restructuring, an IMF programme and a return to growth while many citizens still face rising food prices and deep poverty in a copper-dependent economy with major Chinese mining investors.