Hakainde Hichilema Declared Winner of Zambia’s 2026 Presidential Election
Zambians have spoken at the 2026 General Elections, with incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema securing a second term in office after winning the presidential election.
According to official results released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), Hichilema has been declared the winner, reaffirming his mandate to lead the country for another five-year term.
The victory marks another major milestone in Hichilema’s political career, following his historic election in 2021 when he defeated then-President Edgar Lungu and ushered the United Party for National Development (UPND) into government.
The 2026 election campaign saw Hichilema seek a renewed mandate from Zambians, with his administration’s economic record, debt restructuring efforts and development agenda featuring prominently throughout the campaign.
His re-election means Hichilema will now begin a second and final constitutionally permitted term as President of the Republic of Zambia, with attention turning to the government’s priorities for the next five years.
The election was held on August 13, 2026, with vote counting temporarily suspended following incidents involving election officials before the process resumed.
With the presidential race now settled, President-elect Hichilema is expected to focus on delivering on the commitments made during the campaign as Zambia enters a new five-year political chapter.
For his supporters, the result represents a vote of confidence in his leadership, while the new term brings renewed expectations from citizens across the country for continued economic progress, improved livelihoods and national development.
President Hakainde Hichilema Statement
We are truly humbled by the trust you have placed in our hands, to hold our nation’s highest office and to be your servant, once more. This election showed the world who we are: a nation of peace, a nation of law and order, a democratic nation that settles our differences at the ballot box, and nowhere else.
Over these months we have travelled to all 116 districts, to our nation’s cities, our compounds, our villages, and our farms. We saw first-hand the challenges that our people are facing, and we resolved to work with you to solve these challenges, together. To those citizens who preferred the ideas presented by our opponents, we hear you, and we will continue to work for you to ensure that every Zambian benefits from the development we are delivering.
As we return to work as your servant, we carry with us the memories of the children we met throughout the campaign, and we commit to building a better Zambia for all of you to inherit. Fellow citizens, we love you, we care for you, and we have heard you clearly. Now we must work harder than ever before to deliver meaningful development for every single Zambian, in every corner of our country.
Indeed, we will devote all our energies to development and progress, strengthened by unity, cooperation and our shared purpose as one nation. After a hard-fought campaign, the people have spoken and we now turn our focus to building even greater peace and prosperity, and we remain One Zambia, One Nation, One people. Hakainde Hichilema President of the Republic of Zambia
