BY AFP
LUSAKA, Zambia — President Hakainde Hichilema has won a second term in office after securing about 60% of the vote, according to results announced by Zambia’s electoral commission.
Hichilema polled 2,965,326 votes against 1,855,217 for his main challenger, Brian Mundubile, who received about 38% of the valid vote.
He secured a second term after his seventh attempt at the presidency, while Mundubile was contesting the presidency for the first time.
Although the election was largely peaceful in the run-up to the August 13 vote, tensions rose sharply on election night when authorities arrested 11 people, including senior opposition figures, during a raid in which gunfire was exchanged.
Mundubile was present during the incident.
Vote counting was suspended for several hours the following day after the electoral commission reported violence against polling staff and the theft of ballot papers.
Mundubile later alleged that results forms from polling stations could have been altered and called for an independent investigation.
Hichilema’s camp rejected the allegations, accusing Mundubile of lying.
The election commission’s announcement confirmed Hichilema as the winner despite the opposition’s concerns over the conduct of the vote.
