Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has been sworn in for a second five-year term following a disputed election and the detention of his main political rival on treason charges.

Hichilema took the oath of office on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, alongside his running mate, Vice-President Mutale Nalumango.

Thousands of supporters attended the inauguration, which also attracted African leaders from Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Tanzania.

Hichilema, 64, secured 60 per cent of the vote in the August 13 election, according to official results, defeating his main challenger, Brian Mundubile, who polled 38 per cent.

Mundubile rejected the outcome, alleging that the results had been tampered with. However, he was unable to mount a legal challenge after the courts were sealed off last week, on the final day for filing an election petition.

The development came amid growing political tension, with Mundubile detained by police last week and charged with treason over the weekend.

Election observers described polling day as largely peaceful but raised concerns over the vote-tallying process.

European Union observers said staff at several tallying centres failed to promptly record results on tally sheets, citing weak verification between digital entries and paper records.

Hichilema first came to power in 2021 in a landslide victory, at a time when Zambia had recently defaulted on its international debt and was battling annual inflation of more than 24 per cent.

Since then, the former businessman has negotiated a restructuring of the country’s debt and improved relations with foreign creditors, helping to bring down inflation, although many Zambians continue to face rising living costs.

As he begins his second term, Hichilema has pledged to build on the economic gains recorded over the past five years.

However, the disputed election and the detention of his political rival have cast a shadow over the start of his new mandate.