Zambia's 2026 election: Key issues to watch
Economic recovery, youth turnout, women's representation and judicial independence are among the issues shaping Zambia's vote on Thursday. Zambia's general election on Thursday will be
Economic recovery, youth turnout, women's representation and judicial independence are among the issues shaping Zambia's vote on Thursday. Zambia's general election on Thursday will be fought on economic recovery, governance reforms and a sweeping change to the country's parliamentary map. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema, leader of the United Party for Development (UPND), is seeking a second term against 14 opponents. His principal challenger is Brian Mundubile, a former ally of the late President Edgar Lungu, who has surged to the front of a fragmented opposition after being backed by a coalition of rival parties. The Electoral Commission announced in April that 70 new constituencies would be added, raising the number of parliamentary seats from 156 to 226, creating smaller, more local voting districts. Up to 8.7 million voters are expected to take part in the elections, a majority of whom are women. Economic issues dominate Zambia's election campaign Economic issues dominate voters' concerns. Official data shows that over 70% of the population lives on less than three dollars a day, and many households survive on salaries between $60 and $100 (âŹ52 and âŹ87) a month while grocery prices keep rising. "I would like the new government to increase our salaries. [Maize meal] is very expensive. Everything is expensive," said security guard Lucky Mutelo. Rebecca, a market shopper, echoes the sentiment, noting that "the cost of living is still too high." Incumbent Hakainde Hichilema faces Brian Mundubile, a former ally of late president Edgar Lungu Image: Brian Mundubile media team The government has been making significant gains on these issues. Hichilema's government has secured a landmark debt restructuring agreement, restoring an International Monetary Fund program and supporting economic growth. Inflation fell to 6.5% in June this year.
The administration has also rolled out free education and an expanded Constituency Development Fund, which allocates public money directly to each of the country's constituencies to finance community-driven local development projects and infrastructure. Nevertheless, a historic drought that crippled agriculture and forced severe hydroâpower loadâshedding has strained household finances. Election demographics amid a fragmented electoral field To become president, a candidate must secure 50% plus one of the total votes cast. If no contender reaches this threshold, the two highestâscoring candidates will face off in a second round â a mechanism designed to ensure that the president enjoys a clear popular mandate. There are 14 names on the ballot, so even small swings in support across the 10 provinces could determine whether the election goes to a second round. Our time is now: Zambia's youth running in elections To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Analysts say the election's outcome would hinge on urban centers such as Lusaka and the Copperbelt, where costâofâliving pressures are most acute, while rural provinces traditionally follow established party loyalties. Rural voters in the Southern, Western and NorthâWestern provinces historically back the UPND, whereas the opposition targets the Northern, Luapula and Eastern provinces. Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that the high youth turnout that propelled the current president Hakainde Hichilema to a landslide victory in 2021 is expected to be a decisive factor again, especially in densely populated urban districts. Nearly half of registered voters are aged between 18 and 35, making young people a potentially pivotal bloc, Institute for Security Studies researcher Zenge Simakoloyi told AFP. Can women swing Zambia's election? Gender representation is another prominent theme.
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