malawidatanews.com

Zambia goes to the polls this Thursday, August 13, in what is expected to be one of the country’s most competitive elections in years.

With more than 8.7 million registered voters set to choose the country’s next president, members of the National Assembly and local government leaders.

President Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND) is seeking a second term after defeating the late Edgar Lungu in the 2021 presidential election.

His main challenger is Brian Mundumile, the Tonse Alliance-backed candidate contesting under the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) ticket.

The election comes at a critical time for Africa’s second-largest copper producer. While the economy has shown signs of recovery, many voters say rising living costs, unemployment and food prices remain their biggest concerns.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) initially cleared 14 presidential candidates, but the field was narrowed to 13 after former intelligence chief Xavier Chungu withdrew from the race and endorsed Mundumile.

Although 13 candidates remain on the ballot, the contest is widely seen as a four-way race. Hichilema, popularly known as HH, is campaigning on his government’s debt restructuring programme, free education and economic reforms. However, his critics argue that many households have yet to feel the benefits of the economic recovery.

However, Mundumile, a lawyer and long-serving member of Parliament, argues that the economic recovery has left ordinary Zambians behind. He has pledged to reduce the cost of living, create jobs and promote more inclusive economic growth.