By Zainab Bakare
President Hakainde Hichilema has won the 2026 Zambia presidential election with 60.49 per cent of the votes.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia announced the final results from all 226 constituencies, with Hichilema of the United Party for National Development securing 2,965,326 votes.
His main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity, polled 1,856,217 votes, representing 37.87 per cent. Hichilema won by more than one million votes.
The electoral commission said 8,786,300 people were registered to vote, while 4,902,050 valid votes were cast. Another 126,566 ballots were rejected, putting voter turnout at 57.23 per cent. Hichilema will serve another five-year term until 2031.
In his reaction, Hichilema thanked voters for their confidence and said the election showed Zambia remained a peaceful democracy where differences are settled at the ballot box.
However, Mundubile has alleged irregularities and discrepancies in the results, while accusing military personnel of interfering with the collation process.
The claims have not been independently established, and it remains unclear whether the opposition will challenge the result in court.
