President Hakainde Hichilema is being sworn in for a second five-year term today, September 1, at a ceremony bringing together African leaders and senior government officials in Lusaka.
Hichilema is taking the oath of office at the National Heroes Stadium alongside Vice-President-elect Mutale Nalumango, following his re-election in Zambia’s August 13 presidential election.
Among the high-profile guests attending the inauguration is Kenya’s President William Ruto, who travelled to Zambia for the ceremony. Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is also in Lusaka, while Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to attend.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is represented by Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, who is attending on behalf of President Félix Tshisekedi. The United States has also sent Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia Jr., while China is represented by Xian Hui, Vice-Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
The gathering underscores the regional and international attention surrounding Hichilema’s second term and Zambia’s role in southern and wider African affairs.
Hichilema won the August 13 presidential election with 2,965,326 votes, or just over 60 percent of the valid vote, according to official results. His closest challenger, Brian Mundubile, received 1,856,217 votes.
The election, however, has been followed by political tensions.Mundubile rejected the result and alleged irregularities in the election, including claims concerning vote tallying and election-day violence. He later went into hiding after security forces raided his residence.
The opposition leader subsequently surrendered to police and was charged with treason alongside his running mate, Makebi Zulu. The two have denied allegations that they were involved in any plan to destabilise the government. Authorities have described the matter as a national security issue, while details of the allegations underpinning the treason charges have remained limited.
The arrest of Mundubile has added a politically sensitive backdrop to today’s inauguration, coming only days before Hichilema takes the oath for his second term.
The election process itself also generated controversy over whether an opposition petition challenging the presidential result had been properly filed. Zambia’s Cabinet said the seven-day period for filing a presidential petition had expired without the Judiciary receiving one, paving the way for the inauguration.
Hichilema first came to power in 2021 after defeating then-President Edgar Lungu, ending the Patriotic Front’s hold on government.
His second term now begins with the government expected to build on its economic agenda while addressing challenges including the cost of living, job creation, debt and economic transformation.
The presence of leaders and senior representatives from across Africa and beyond gives today’s ceremony a broader diplomatic dimension, as Zambia begins another five years under Hichilema’s leadership.
For the thousands gathered at National Heroes Stadium, however, the central moment will be the formal swearing-in of Hichilema and Nalumango, marking the start of their second term in office.
