Zambian voters head to the polls Thursday in a closely watched general election, evaluating President Hakainde Hichilema’s macro-economic reforms against persistent cost-of-living pressures facing households in Africa’s second-largest copper producer.
According reporting from Lusaka, Hichilema faces 12 challengers, led by primary opposition candidate Brian Mundubile, across more than 13,500 polling stations nationwide for 8.78 million registered voters.
The IMF projects Zambia’s economy will expand 4.3% this year, supported by sovereign debt restructuring deals and annual inflation slowing to 6.5% in June—an eight-year low.
“A lot of our families still need support beyond what we are delivering today, but I want you to know we hear you,” Hichilema stated during a campaign rally in Lusaka.
Opposition figures argue that macro-level stabilization has not lowered daily living costs. “How can you boast that you have built $6.5 billion in foreign reserves when your people are going hungry?” Mundubile said.
Hichilema inherited a country reeling from a 2020 sovereign debt default. Recent mining developments, including a $3.46 billion economic contribution from First Quantum Minerals, have since bolstered foreign reserves.
The vote marks the first under 2025 constitutional amendments expanding the National Assembly, with youth under 35 making up nearly half of all registered voters.
