Zambia’s Hichilema begins second term amid disputed vote and arrests

Lusaka, Zambia – President Hakainde Hichilema has begun a second and final term promising to make sure ordinary Zambians feel the benefits of an economic recovery he says has put the country on a more stable footing.

But his inauguration on Tuesday came against a far less settled political backdrop: election observers have raised concerns about the conduct and counting of the August 13 vote, while opposition figures, including Hichilema’s main rival, have been arrested and charged with treason.

Hichilema won about 60 percent of the vote, according to the official results, against about 38 percent for opposition challenger Brian Mundubile. Mundubile rejected the result and alleged irregularities.

The European Union Election Observation Mission said voters had been offered a competitive choice, but the election was held on an uneven playing field. It also said the transparency of the tabulation process deteriorated significantly after the counting of results was temporarily suspended.

The observations did not amount to a finding that Hichilema had lost the election, but they have cast a shadow over the start of a second term for a president who came to power in 2021 promising to strengthen democracy, the rule of law and state institutions.

When he took office, Zambia was emerging from one of the worst economic crises in its recent history. The southern African country had defaulted on its sovereign debt in 2020, becoming the first African country to do so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His government has since overseen a major debt restructuring and worked with the International Monetary Fund on a programme of economic reforms. The efforts have helped restore investor confidence and encouraged new investment, particularly in mining.

That matters well beyond Zambia’s borders. The country is one of Africa’s leading copper producers, and its mineral wealth has made it increasingly important to countries looking to secure supplies of copper and other critical minerals needed for the global energy transition.