With Zambia’s presidential election just days away, President Hakainde Hichilema is intensifying his campaign, making a direct appeal to young voters who could play a decisive role in Thursday’s vote. Hichilema rallied students in Lusaka on Monday, urging them to spread his campaign message across campuses, markets and communities as he seeks a second term. The youth vote is significant. Zambia’s Electoral Commission says 4.07 million young people account for 46.3% of the country’s 8.79 million registered voters. Women make up 53.1% of the electorate.
Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), is competing against 13 other presidential candidates. But the race has increasingly focused on his main challenger, Brian Mundubile, who leads the opposition Tonse Alliance. The election will effectively serve as a referendum on Hichilema’s first-term economic record. His government has overseen the restructuring of more than $12 billion in debt and is pushing to expand copper production, while voters continue to complain about high food and energy costs.
For the opposition, the campaign has centred on the cost of living and arguments that the benefits of economic recovery have yet to reach enough households. The August 13 election will also test Zambia’s reputation for political stability after a campaign marked by tensions and allegations of political restrictions. About 8.8 million registered voters will also elect members of an expanded 226-seat Parliament. With the finish line approaching, both sides are focused on turnout, particularly on whether Zambia’s large youth electorate will turn its numbers into political influence.
