Zambia counts votes in election seen as referendum on Hichilema

Votes are being counted in Zambia's presidential and parliamentary elections, widely seen as a test for President Hakainde Hichilema's economic policies, following a campaign dominated by concern over rising living costs. Hichilema took office in 2021 and steered Zambia through a debt restructuring and recovery, but many voters remain concerned about the high cost of living, unemployment and an unstable electricity supply. His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, a first-time presidential candidate backed by a coalition of opposition parties, hopes to capitalise on that frustration. A candidate needs more than 50 percent of the vote to win outright, otherwise the two leading contenders will face a run-off within 37 days. Officials are calling on voters to remain calm as they await the outcome, with final results expected on Monday. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa reports. Subscribe to our channel: bit.ly
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