Zambia’s 2026 Election – Performance, Pressure, and Political Reality

As Zambia moves toward its 2026 general election, the contest is increasingly being framed not as a clash of ideologies, but as a national assessment of performance, expectations, and credibility.

At the centre of this judgment is President Hakainde Hichilema, whose first term has been defined by economic stabilisation, fiscal tightening, and efforts to restore confidence in a country that entered office under severe financial strain. The key question for voters is whether these reforms have…