Hakainde Hichilema Sworn In for Second Term as President of Zambia

President Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in for a second five-year term on September 1, 2026, at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka. Hichilema won the August 13 election with approximately 60 percent of the vote. During his inauguration, he launched the Grow Zambia Agenda, pledging to triple the size of the economy by shifting the national focus from stabilization to rapid growth and expansion.

The ceremony, attended by leaders from Kenya, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Lesotho, took place amid severe political instability. Opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who received 38 percent of the vote, and his running mate Makebi Zulu are currently detained on treason charges. The government alleges the opposition planned an armed insurrection, a claim the NRPUP alliance denies. These arrests followed an August 14 security raid on a property linked to Mundubile that resulted in the death of former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya.

Mundubile has rejected the election results, alleging intimidation and tampering. European Union observers supported these concerns, noting weaknesses in the verification between digital and paper records during the tallying process. In response to the tension, Hichilema called for national unity and mutual respect, stating that political opponents are not enemies. Meanwhile, the United Nations human rights chief has urged the Zambian government to ensure due process for those arrested.