Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema began a second term Tuesday as his main election rival remained behind bars on treason charges, casting a shadow over the country’s latest transfer of power.
Hichilema took the oath before thousands of supporters dressed in the red colors of his UPND party at a Lusaka stadium. The inauguration was attended by several African leaders.
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The Aug. 13 election, which secured Hichilema 60% of the vote, was followed by allegations of intimidation, government favoritism and restrictions on opposition parties. Former provincial government minister Brian Mundubile received 38%, according to official results.
At 64, Hichilema, a businessman and tycoon, has been credited with guiding Zambia through a significant economic recovery since taking office in 2021.
His government introduced market-oriented reforms, abolished the death penalty and made primary and secondary education free. Critics, however, argue that economic gains have not eased the pressure on households facing higher prices.
World Bank data shows that more than 70% of Zambia’s 22 million residents live on less than $3 a day.
The government has also faced accusations that it is restricting room for political opposition and dissent.
Opposition in jail
Mundubile, 55, disappeared from public view after security forces raided his home Aug. 14. Authorities said the operation targeted a suspected militia they considered a threat to national security.
Mundubile’s NRPUP alliance rejected the allegations.
A former cabinet minister was killed by gunfire during the operation, while 11 people associated with Mundubile’s campaign were arrested.
Nearly two weeks later, Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, surrendered to police. Their lawyer confirmed over the weekend that both had been charged with treason, allegations they deny.
International observers have criticized the arrests, a pause in the vote count and opposition allegations that supporters were intimidated before the election.
Mundubile and Zulu are linked to the Patriot Front, the party once led by late former President Edgar Lungu, Hichilema’s predecessor and longtime political rival.
Hichilema himself was charged with treason after losing the 2016 presidential election to Lungu. Prosecutors accused him of failing to pull over for the presidential motorcade. He spent four months in a maximum-security prison before the charges were dismissed.
Copper continues to underpin Zambia’s economy, accounting for about 70% of export earnings. China is a major investor in the country and its largest bilateral creditor.
Since independence from Britain in 1964 under founding President Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia has generally been regarded as one of southern Africa’s more stable democracies, with a record of peaceful transfers of power.
