Chaos, Arrests, and Election Doubts: Zambia Faces a Democracy Test

Since Zambia’s electoral commission announced that incumbent president Hakainde Hichilema won the presidential election with nearly 61% of the votes, political tensions have escalated across the country, following the killing of a politician and former minister, along with arrests and accusations from the opposition of serious irregularities.

Zambia had previously been seen as a model of democracy on the African continent, but Hichilema’s announcement of a second five-year term has cast new shadows on this reputation, amid claims of power entrenchment and suppression of opposition.

On the day after the results were announced, Brian Mwila, the main opposition candidate who finished second with 38% of the votes, declared his intention to challenge the results in court, citing what he described as serious irregularities in the electoral process, which independent bodies have also documented.

Supporters of newly elected Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema celebrate his victory

The Cameroonian news site Le Bled Parle confirmed that the legal action "opens a new chapter in electoral disputes in Zambia," with final results expected to be announced by Monday, August 24.

Tension After Election Day

The August 13 elections proceeded without incidents, as 8.7 million voters were called to polling stations for presidential, parliamentary, and local elections. However, the situation deteriorated rapidly the following day.

Police confirmed the death of lawmaker Mototo Kafuwa during an operation conducted on Friday, August 14, at the home of Hichilema’s main rival in the capital, Lusaka. The family of the 49-year-old politician had been searching for answers about his whereabouts for several days, noting that he had served as a minister under former president Edgar Lungu.

On the same day, multiple Zambian security agencies carried out the operation, officially framed as part of an investigation into suspected arms smuggling.

The operation took place the day after the elections, in the Kabulonga neighborhood of the capital, inside the home of main opposition leader Brian Mwila, where 11 people were arrested.

Several figures from the political opposition expressed sorrow, anger, and concern, stating that Zambia is not accustomed to this kind of violence.

Doubts Over Election Integrity

Tensions coincided with suspicions of vote manipulation, as post-voting opinion polls indicated that the elected president Hakainde Hichilema received fewer votes than the percentage announced by the electoral commission.

The Economist magazine noted that this phenomenon "has never been observed in any Zambian election since independent election monitoring began in 2001."

The announcement triggered strong reactions from political leaders, including Harry Kalaba, head of the "Citizens First" party, which placed third in the election, who condemned "serious issues requiring transparency and accountability," according to Lusaka Times.

A coalition of civil society organizations also urged the government to conduct an "independent, impartial, and transparent" investigation into the death of Mototo Kafuwa, citing "contradictions in the narratives presented to the public," according to Zambian Observer.

UN Warning on Detainees' Rights

In response to the series of events, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged Zambian authorities to "halt arbitrary arrests and fully respect the right to due process for all detainees."

Türk added in a statement: "In this critical period following the elections, human rights must be respected."

This warning presents a new test for Zambia’s democratic image, which had long been regarded as a model of stable democratic transition across the continent and had witnessed three peaceful transfers of power since the restoration of multi-party democracy in 1991.

Democratic Legacy Under New Test

Hichilema positioned himself as a symbol of democratic renewal, having spent years in opposition, "including a period of imprisonment."

After assuming office, he succeeded in removing key figures from the administration of former president Edgar Lungu, who was accused of authoritarianism, building a democratic record widely praised within the country.

However, recent election-related events may now put this reputation to a severe test, amid what critics describe as further signs of democratic erosion, not only in Africa but across other regions of the world.