Zambia votes Thursday with incumbent Hichilema favored to win second term

Zambia will hold its general election on Thursday, a vote widely projected to return President Hakainde Hichilema to office for a second term. The incumbent’s administration has highlighted a series of economic reforms and growth indicators since taking power, but the electorate faces heightened concerns over rising living costs that have strained household budgets across the country.

Opposition parties are seeking to channel public discontent into electoral gains, despite internal fractures and longstanding rivalries that have limited their cohesion. As voters head to the polls, the outcome will test the durability of Hichilema’s economic agenda and determine whether the promise of continued stability can outweigh the immediate pressures of inflation and cost‑of‑living challenges.