NAIROBI – The Zambian electoral commission announced that it has resumed the counting of votes from the August 13 general elections, after a halt that had sparked opposition outrage. “I am pleased to inform you and the nation that the threat to the security of the electoral process has been contained,” said Commission Chair Mwangala Zaloumis, referring to reports of assaults and interference that had justified the suspension of the count. The first results will be announced at 10 PM local time, the same time zone as Italy.
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The opposition interpreted the halt as unfairness aimed at masking or delaying the final reckoning as much as possible, in a vote expected to be a test of the economic and political stability of a mining hub linked to the USA, China, the EU, and other actors. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema is favored and projected for a second term in Lusaka, but opposition leader Brian Mundubile has publicly claimed victory and is pressing the commission for the final release of results. Il Sole 24 Ore noted a weakening of the kwacha against the US dollar after the announcement.
The opposition’s complaint and Zambia’s vulnerabilities
In a video posted on the afternoon of August 14 on his Facebook page, Mundubile condemned “in the strongest terms” the suspension of the count and urged the commission to proceed quickly with the release of results. The tensions form the backdrop to an election held in a climate suspended between investor optimism and the internal vulnerabilities of a country rich in minerals and strategic in infrastructure projects such as the Lobito corridor.
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Zambia, the second largest African copper producer, has recovered after the 2020 default with debt restructuring, inflation halved between 2025 and 2026, and growth prospects at a 5% rate for the current year. But the macro successes, claimed by Hichilema, clash with accusations of authoritarian backsliding under his mandate and unresolved tensions within the economic fabric itself. Among the emergencies are a poverty rate exceeding 60% in the World Bank’s 2025 surveys and a cost of living increase of up to 40% between 2021 and 2026 for essential goods.
The triggering of unrest or open clashes would undermine Zambia’s reputation for political stability, which has seen three peaceful power transitions since 1991 and is considered still a solid example of party alternation on a regional and African scale. Hichilema faced a total of 13 opposing candidates in the vote, although analysts expected only Mundubile to represent an uncertainty in the final result.
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