Signal Zambia's Hichilema inaugurated for second term with election petition unresolved

Summary

Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in for a second term as Zambia's president on 1 September 2026 at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, alongside Vice-President Mutale Nalumango; the government declared the day a public holiday. In the 13 August 2026 election he took 60.49% against Brian Mundubile's 37.87%, winning outright in the first round by a margin of 1,109,109 votes. Turnout was 57.23%, with 4,902,050 valid ballots from 8,786,300 registered voters. No formal petition was filed within the seven-day statutory window; the opposition says authorities sealed the courts on the final filing day for security reasons. A petition sent by email on 25 August was referred to the Constitutional Court, which had not ruled by the time of the inauguration. Opposition candidate Mundubile was charged with treason in late August.