President Hichilema has defended his governance record, noting that the early years of his administration were chaotic and that he has laid the groundwork for long-term success.
“We inherited a broken-down country… the economy was declining,” Hichilema told the BBC in Lusaka.
When he assumed office in 2021, Zambia was facing debt distress and struggled to meet its financial obligations.
Following the restructuring of over $13 billion in external debt, the government has reported annual savings of approximately $1.9 billion.
“That’s the money we’re putting into the economy… into investment expenditure, including free education.”
The free education initiative, which covers primary and secondary levels, has successfully returned millions of children to classrooms.
Thousands of teachers and health workers have been hired, and constituency development funds have been significantly increased.
Copper production, the backbone of the economy, has recovered strongly, foreign reserves have climbed to record levels and investor confidence has returned.
Supporters point to concrete opportunities.
“I believe opportunities have increased, especially considering the number of people employed among civil servants. Opportunities have just expanded,” one young woman who hopes to become a teacher said.
The unemployment rate has registered a slight fall from 13% to 11% over the last four years, as measured by the statistics agency.
Critics counter, however, that the benefits have yet to reach enough families.
Civil society groups also express concerns that, despite Hichilema’s promise of a more open democracy, some opposition figures have been silenced following their conviction for hate speech.
The political landscape shifted dramatically following the death of former president Lungu on 5 June last year.
Although the courts had ruled that he could not run again after winning two elections, his passing removed the opposition’s most recognizable figure and initially appeared to create a smoother path to victory for the incumbent.
Lungu’s PF party fractured, with some politicians and supporters shifting to other opposition groups.
This accelerated the consolidation of a split opposition around Mundubile, a 55-year-old lawyer, accountant, and former government chief whip under Lungu.
Within weeks of filing his nomination papers in May, Mundubile’s popularity grew as the presidential candidate of an opposition grouping, the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance, running under the previously unknown NRPUP banner.
Makebi Zulu, a lawyer closely associated with the Lungu family, serves as his running mate.
The alliance has capitalized on lingering loyalty in former PF strongholds and on public frustration with the cost of living.