Zambians vote on August 13 in general elections that will test whether President Hakainde Hichilema’s economic reforms have improved everyday life. About 8.79 million voters are registered, according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
Fourteen candidates are contesting the presidency, including Hichilema, the United Party for National Development (UPND) leader seeking a second term, and Brian Mundubile, the presidential candidate of the opposition Tonse Alliance. Debt restructuring, inflation and copper revenues are central issues.
What voters are being asked to judge
Hichilema’s government points to Zambia’s debt restructuring and the completion of its International Monetary Fund-supported programme as evidence of economic progress. Inflation fell to 6.8 percent in April, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency.
But high food, fuel and electricity costs continue to pressure households. Joan Chirwa, a Zambian human rights defender and veteran journalist, said macroeconomic stability had not necessarily translated into improved household welfare. Wellington Muzengeza, an independent political risk analyst, described the election as a test of the gap between macroeconomic recovery and ordinary citizens’ experience.
Household costs and employment remain central
Economic hardship and unemployment are major concerns for voters, according to Levy Ndou, a lecturer in political sciences and public policy at Tshwane University of Technology. He said parties must address the roughly 60 percent of the population living below Zambia’s national poverty line.
Muzengeza said voters were likely to assess the government through food and transport costs, employment prospects, electricity reliability and the quality of public services. Ndou said campaign promises would matter only if they produced tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Copper wealth raises questions about who benefits
Copper accounts for about 70 percent of Zambia’s export earnings and more than 10 percent of its gross domestic product. The government has set a target of raising annual copper production to 3 million tonnes.
The election debate also concerns how mining revenue reaches the wider economy. Chirwa said the next government would face pressure to show that increased mining revenues benefit the broader population. Muzengeza pointed to secure jobs, local procurement, stronger communities and public revenue as measures voters, especially on the Copperbelt, may use to assess the sector.
A reform record facing its political test
Muzengeza called debt restructuring a significant achievement because it reduced immediate financing pressure and helped restore Zambia’s international standing. He also cautioned that progress on sovereign debt does not automatically improve household incomes or living standards.
Zambia has held multiparty elections since 1991, with six presidents from three political parties taking office, although some transitions have involved political tension. Hichilema lost the 2015 and 2016 elections to Edgar Lungu, was arrested and detained on treason charges in 2017, and won the presidency in 2021 on his fifth attempt.
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