Polls open in Zambia presidential election as economic reforms tested

What the report says

Polls opened on Thursday in Zambia’s presidential election, with President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second term in a vote shaped by economic concerns. According to Al Jazeera’s report from AFP, voting began at 6am local time in Lusaka and is scheduled to close 12 hours later. About 8.7 million people are registered to vote, and the presidential contest is being watched as a test of whether Hichilema’s economic reforms have eased public frustration over living costs.

The report says the government has pointed to lower inflation and a stronger kwacha, but many Zambians still face expensive food and energy, while unemployment remains a concern. It also notes that more than 70 percent of Zambia’s 22 million people live on less than $3 a day, based on World Bank data. Hichilema, 64, won in 2021 and is campaigning on job creation and infrastructure development.

His main rival is Brian Mundubile, a former minister under the Patriotic Front government, who is contesting with backing from an opposition alliance and the newly formed NRPUP party. Mundubile has said the campaign has been constrained and has questioned whether the election is free and fair. He has called for a “national reset” if the opposition wins. The winner must secure more than 50 percent to avoid a runoff, and results are expected by August 17. Parliamentary elections are also being held for 226 seats.