Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is leading the vote count in the general elections held last Thursday, August 13, with 62.28% of the vote in 161 of the 226 constituencies counted, the Zambian Electoral Commission (ECZ) reported on Monday.
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According to data presented by the ECZ in a public statement, Hichilema has garnered 2,057,986 votes, widening his lead over his main rival, former minister Brian Mundubile, who received 36.04% of the vote, equivalent to 1,190,920 votes. The other twelve candidates received fewer than 15,000 votes. The election recorded 3,304,309 valid votes and a 57.77% voter turnout.
Although the organization had planned to announce the final results of the Zambian elections throughout Monday, ECZ Chairwoman Mwangala Zaloumis indicated that they would try to do so within the next 72 hours due to the difficulties in obtaining information across the country.
Hichilema pulls further ahead in Zambia election:
President Hakainde Hichilema has significantly increased his lead over opposition candidate Brian Mundubile in the latest results.
With 161 of 226 constituencies counted, Hichilema’s lead has grown from 513,478 votes in last… pic.twitter.com/TrRM5hfhtJ
— newZWire (@newswireZW) August 17, 2026
On Friday, Mundubile declared himself the winner of an election that, according to the European Union (EU) observer mission, took place in a context of reduced fundamental freedoms and unfair competition.
For its part, the African Union (AU) observer mission indicated that, despite episodes of violence against election officials in some districts and logistical delays, the elections were generally peaceful and orderly.
Some 8.7 million voters—out of a total population of approximately 22 million—were called to the polls to elect a president for a five-year term, as well as the composition of the National Assembly and municipal governments.
Zambia, a nation that has maintained political stability in recent years, holds strategic importance as it has become one of the arenas of global geopolitical competition between China, the United States, and the European Union due to its mineral wealth, particularly its copper reserves.
According to Zambian law, if no candidate obtains more than 50% of the votes in the first round, a second round must be held between the two candidates with the most votes. With the current partial results, Hichilema has surpassed that threshold.
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“Freedom is indivisible,” she said, highlighting Fidel’s commitment to… pic.twitter.com/elo0jbxOG3— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) August 11, 2026
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