Zambia Opens General Election With Strong Voter Turnout
Zambians went to the polls Thursday in a closely watched general election, with voting beginning at 6 a.m. local time amid a peaceful atmosphere and strong early turnout.
Long queues formed outside polling stations from the early hours, with young and older voters arriving to cast their ballots. Fourteen candidates are competing for the presidency, including incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking a second five-year term.
Hichilema won the 2021 election with more than 2.8 million votes, defeating then-President Edgar Lungu. His leading challenger this time is Brian Mundubile, a former minister under Lungu who later served as an opposition leader in parliament.
Independent candidate Given Katuta is the only woman among the presidential contenders.
In addition to choosing a president, voters are electing members of parliament, city mayors, municipal council chairpersons and ward councillors, making the election significant for both national and local governance.
Under Zambia’s electoral system, a presidential candidate must secure at least 50% plus one of the valid votes to win outright. The Electoral Commission of Zambia has indicated that preliminary results could potentially identify the winner by Monday.
The strong turnout at the opening of polls reflects significant public engagement with an election that will determine Zambia’s political leadership for the next five years.
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