LUSAKA, Zambia — For millions of Zambians, the ballot box has once again answered a question that has dominated the country’s political conversation for months: who should lead Zambia for the next five years?
The answer is President Hakainde Hichilema.
Hichilema has been re-elected for a second five-year term after securing 61.4% of the vote, according to results announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia. He received nearly three million votes, comfortably defeating his main challenger, Brian Mundubile, who won about 38% of the vote.
For Hichilema, 64, the result represents more than simply another election victory. It is a renewed opportunity to complete the economic transformation he promised when he first entered State House in 2021.
But behind the celebrations and political speeches lies a more complicated story — one of an economy recovering from a painful debt crisis, families still struggling with the cost of living, young people looking for jobs and a country watching closely to see what its president will do with another five years.
A Victory Built on Economic Recovery
Hichilema entered the election seeking to convince voters that his government deserved more time.
Since taking office in 2021, his administration has focused heavily on repairing Zambia’s troubled economy. One of the government's biggest achievements has been progress on restructuring the country's debt and rebuilding relationships with international lenders.
His administration has also worked to attract investment into sectors such as mining, particularly copper — one of Zambia's most important natural resources.
For investors and international partners, the changes have been encouraging.
For ordinary Zambians, however, the question has often been simpler: Can economic recovery be felt in the household?
That question followed Hichilema throughout the campaign.
While economic indicators have improved, many citizens continue to face high living costs, unemployment and poverty. This created an unusual situation for the incumbent: he could point to significant economic progress while his opponents could point to families still struggling to make ends meet.
The Copper Question
Few issues illustrate Zambia's hopes and frustrations better than copper.
The country is rich in the mineral, which is increasingly important to the global economy because of its use in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and other technologies.
Hichilema's government has sought to attract more investment into the mining sector and increase copper production. International investors have shown strong interest, while Zambia's strategic position has also attracted the attention of major global powers, including the United States and China.
But for many Zambians, mineral wealth raises another question: Who benefits?
The promise of copper wealth is powerful, but people want to see that wealth translated into jobs, better services and opportunities for their families.That is likely to be one of the biggest tests of Hichilema's second term.
The Opposition Was Not Going Away Quietly
Hichilema's victory was decisive, but the election was far from a walk in the park.
His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, secured about 38% of the vote — a sizeable share that shows the opposition still commands significant support across the country.
The campaign was also marked by political tensions and concerns about the electoral environment.
Authorities arrested several opposition figures around election night, while the opposition raised concerns over the conduct of the process. The Electoral Commission also temporarily suspended vote counting after election officials were attacked and ballot papers were stolen.
International observers and civil society groups raised concerns about restrictions on political freedoms and what they described as an uneven campaign environment. The government has rejected accusations that it deliberately suppressed the opposition.
These concerns will not disappear simply because the election is over.
If Hichilema wants his second term to be remembered not only for economic recovery but also for democratic progress, how he treats his political opponents and critics will matter almost as much as the economic figures.
A President Asking for More Time
Hichilema's political journey has not been an easy one.
Before finally winning the presidency in 2021, he contested presidential elections several times. His first victory came after years in opposition, when he defeated then-President Edgar Lungu and took power promising to change Zambia's economic direction.
Five years later, voters have given him another opportunity.And his message during the 2026 campaign was largely about continuity — that Zambia should not abandon the reforms already underway.
Now that the votes have been counted, the campaign promises become responsibilities.
Hichilema has said his second-term ambition is to expand Zambia's economy and create more jobs. His administration has also highlighted free secondary education and expanded social welfare programmes among its achievements.
The challenge will be making sure that these achievements are not only visible in government reports but are also experienced by people in markets, farms, schools and homes across the country.
What Hichilema's Second Term Must Deliver
Winning with 61.4% gives Hichilema a strong mandate, but it also raises expectations.
A voter who has struggled to afford food does not measure economic recovery in percentages. A young graduate without a job does not experience debt restructuring directly. A small business owner feels the economy through the price of goods, electricity bills, access to credit and the number of customers walking through the door.
That is where the real test of Hichilema's second term will begin. He will need to turn economic stability into opportunities that ordinary people can see and feel. He will also need to reassure those who did not vote for him that they remain part of the Zambia he leads.
A New Five Years Begin
As the celebrations settle and political campaign banners gradually disappear from the streets, Hichilema returns to the responsibility of governing a country with high expectations.
His victory gives him five more years to build on the progress of his first term, address the frustrations that remained beneath the surface of the election and prove that Zambia's economic recovery can reach more households.
For the people who voted for him, the result is a reason to hope that the next five years will bring jobs, stronger businesses, better public services and a more secure future. For those who voted against him, it is now a period of watching closely and demanding accountability.
Ultimately, the election was not only about Hichilema winning another term. It was about what Zambians expect from the next five years. They have given their president another chance to deliver — and this time, the measure of his success will not simply be the numbers announced at the ballot-counting centre, but whether ordinary citizens can look back at the end of his second term and honestly say that their lives became better.
