BRIEFING | Regional Leaders, State Institutions Congratulate Hichilema After Re-Election
President Hakainde Hichilema is receiving a stream of congratulatory messages from regional leaders and institutions following his re-election for a second term, as Zambia moves from a closely watched election into the post-election period.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Hichilema winner after the completion of results from all 226 constituencies. He secured 2,967,326 votes, or about 60.7 percent, against 1,856,217, or about 38 percent, for his main challenger, Brian Mundubile. The final margin was 1,111,109 votes.
Kenyan President William Ruto congratulated Hichilema in a formal message dated August 18, describing the result as a “resounding and decisive victory.” Ruto said Kenya values its relationship with Zambia and looked forward to working with Hichilema to “further solidify and broaden the bonds of friendship and cooperation” between the two countries.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan also congratulated Hichilema, pointing to the longstanding relationship between the neighbouring states. “I am looking forward to continuing working with you in strengthening the deep, historical and fraternal bonds between Tanzania and Zambia,” she said. Burundi is also among the first countries in the region to congratulate the president-elect.
At home, congratulatory messages have come from state institutions and organisations, including the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, ZESCO, universities, companies and other public bodies. The messages signal the institutional transition from campaigning and vote counting towards the start of Hichilema’s second mandate.
Attention now turns to Hichilema himself. According to an announcement by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, the president-elect is expected to address the nation at 14:30 hours today, his first major national address since the declaration of the final presidential result.
The address will be closely watched for its tone towards the opposition and its response to a tense post-election environment. Mundubile and his allies raised objections during the tallying process and questioned aspects of the verification of results. Hichilema, meanwhile, has said his administration will also work for citizens who voted for his opponents.
For Zambia, the count is over. The political task now shifts to acceptance of the result, management of outstanding electoral disputes through established institutions, and the composition of the government’s second-term agenda.
The People’s Brief will follow President Hichilema’s 14:30 address and provide analysis of its key political signals.
-The People’s Brief | Chileshe Sengwe