Zambia's Hichilema Faces Tight Re-election Bid Amid Rights and Cost-of-Living Concerns

Zambians voted on August 13, 2026, in a presidential election where incumbent Hakainde Hichilema sought a second term. Hichilema, who won a landslide victory in 2021 over his late rival Edgar Lungu, faced a more challenging political climate this time, with continued cost-of-living pressures denting his appeal and accusations of trampling on civil liberties he once promised to protect. The election was also overshadowed by the lingering feud between Hichilema and the family of Lungu, who died in 2025, with the ghost of his predecessor hanging over the vote.