Zambia Presidential Election: Hichilema Holds Early Lead, Provisional Tallies Show

LUSAKA, Aug. 14 — President Hakainde Hichilema has taken an early lead in Zambia’s presidential election, according to provisional tallies covering about 17% of polling stations.

An unofficial count released on Friday showed Hichilema, leader of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), with 56.3% of the votes counted.

His main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity, had 39.6%.

Other candidates and spoiled ballots accounted for the remaining 4.1%.

Zambian main presidential challenger Brian Mundubile

The figures cover 2,352 of Zambia’s 13,529 polling stations and are based on 860,354 votes. The stations had 1,595,852 registered voters, giving a turnout of 53.9%.

But with about 8.79 million registered voters nationwide, the current tally represents only a small portion of the electorate.

No winner declared

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has not yet declared a winner or published verified national results.

The provisional figures could change significantly as results from the remaining polling stations are received, checked and consolidated.

Under Zambia’s Constitution, a presidential candidate must win more than 50% of valid votes to avoid a second round.

Hichilema’s current 56.3% therefore puts him above the threshold, but the figure cannot yet be treated as a final result.

More than 11,000 polling stations remain outside the current tally.

Thursday’s election was closely watched as a test of Hichilema’s first-term economic record.

The president came to power in 2021 after defeating then-President Edgar Lungu, promising to revive Zambia’s struggling economy and restore investor confidence.

His administration has since focused heavily on debt restructuring and economic stabilisation after Zambia became the first African country to default on its sovereign debt during the COVID-19 era.

The government has also promoted investment in Zambia’s mining industry, particularly copper, a sector seen as crucial to the country’s economic future.

But economic pressures remain a major concern for many voters.

The cost of living, employment and whether the benefits of economic recovery are reaching ordinary households have been central issues during the campaign.

Calls for calm

As counting continues, religious leaders have urged political parties and their supporters to remain peaceful and respect the electoral process.

Zambia has a history of competitive elections, although previous polls have also been accompanied by political tensions and disputes over the conduct of campaigns and the electoral process.

The Electoral Commission is expected to continue releasing verified results as returns arrive from constituencies across the country.

For now, Hichilema has the advantage.

But with the vast majority of polling stations yet to be reflected in the provisional tally, the Zambia presidential election remains too close to call officially.

The final result is expected after the commission completes the verification and consolidation of votes.