Tag Archives: Presidents of Zambia

17Aug/26

Zambia’s 2026 Election and 22-Hour Blackouts

August 17, 2026PoliticsBrian Mundubile, Elections in Zambia, Forum for Democracy and Development, Hakainde Hichilema, Lusaka, Mokgweetsi Masisi, Presidents of Zambia, Samuel Tembenu, Tonse Alliance, United Democratic Alliance, Zambia, Zambian general electionadmin

The Defining Moments of Zambia’s 2026 Election

Mon, Aug 17 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — These sources provide a comprehensive look at the 2026 Zambian general election, covering the candidates, legal reforms, and shifting political alliances. Incumbent Hakainde Hichilema sought a second term against a fractured opposition, with Brian Mundubile emerging as his primary challenger representing the Tonse Alliance. The reports detail significant constitutional amendments that expanded the National Assembly and introduced a mixed-member proportional representation system. Analysts highlight concerns regarding legislative maneuvering, economic grievances like the high cost of living, and accusations of gerrymandering. Despite reports of isolated violence and a temporary pause in vote counting, the data indicates a high voter turnout among the nearly nine million registered citizens. Ultimately, the records illustrate a tense political landscape defined by regional voting blocks and the ongoing test of Zambia’s democratic institutions. Continue reading →

15Aug/26

Zambia’s 2026 Election in the Dark

August 15, 2026PoliticsBallot, Brian Mundubile, Elections, Elections in Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, Lovemore Chishima, National Assembly of Zambia, Politics of Zambia, Presidents of Zambia, Secret ballot, Tonse Alliance, Zambiaadmin

Zambia Suspends Election Count Amid Violence, Then Resumes

Sat , Aug 15 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zambia’s Electoral Commission halted result announcements on August 14 after attacks on staff and stolen ballots in some areas, an unprecedented step under the Electoral Process Act. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema called for peace amid encouraging early signs, while challenger Brian Mundubile declared victory from his party’s tallies and warned of potential interference. The suspension lasted hours; counting resumed that evening with extra security, and partial results on August 15 showed Hichilema leading in key spots like Southern Province.

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07Aug/26

From Zamrock to Internet Kill-Switches

August 7, 2026MusicBemba, Chinsali, Cyril Ramaphosa, Daddy Zemus, Edgar Lungu, Ethiopia, Hakainde Hichilema, Honduras, Katembula, Kaunda, Kenneth Kaunda, Lozi, Lusaka, Macky II, Miriam Makeba, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, Mozambique, Music of Zambia, Namibia, Nina Simone, Presidents of Zambia, Simon Kapwepwe, Slap Dee, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Uganda, United States, Zambia, Zamrock, Zimbabweadmin

The Rise of Zed Beats and the Digital Music Revolution

Fri , Aug 0& 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zed Beats, which takes its name from the letter “Z” in Zambia, represents a dynamic hybrid music genre that emerged in the late 1980s. Young, self-taught producers began using affordable computer software to blend indigenous Zambian elements with popular global sounds like R&B, reggae, rap, hip-hop, Jamaican dancehall, Afrobeats, and amapiano. The rise of this digital movement was catalyzed by a major cultural void in the late 1980s and 1990s, when the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic claimed the lives of a generation of veteran musicians who had anchored traditional live genres like Kalindula and Zamrock. To fill this void, which had left radio and television heavily dominated by foreign music, young enthusiasts utilized newly accessible computer technology to resurrect local music and forge a modern urban identity. Continue reading →

04Aug/26

Bond Rallies and Blackouts in Zambia

August 4, 2026PoliticsBrian Mundubile, Edgar Lungu, Edgar Lungu.However, Fred M'membe, Given Katuta, Hakainde Hichilema, JOHANNESBURG, London, Lusaka, Makebi Zulu, Makozo Chikote, Miles Sampa, Nigeria, Presidency of Hakainde Hichilema, Presidents of Zambia, South Africa, United Party for National Development, UPND Alliance, Zambia, Zambian general electionadmin

Zambia’s 2026 Election: A High-Stakes Two-Horse Race Decided by Economic Squeeze and Drought

Tue , Aug 04 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zambia’s general election on August 13, 2026, represents a pivotal, alliance-driven contest that will test the country’s democratic resilience and economic direction. Although fourteen presidential candidates are officially cleared to run, the election is fundamentally a two-horse race between incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND) and opposition challenger Brian Mundubile. Hichilema enters the race backed by an expanded 15-party UPND Alliance, leveraging the power of incumbency. His challenger, Mundubile—a 55-year-old lawyer, accountant, and former government chief whip—is running under the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) banner after unifying a highly fractured opposition under the Tonse–Pamodzi Alliance. Continue reading →

03Aug/26

Zambia’s Debt Miracle and Democratic Backsliding

August 3, 2026PoliticsBeijing, Benin, China, China–Zambia relations, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denis Christel Sassou-Nguesso, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Ethiopia, Fred, Hakainde Hichilema, Kafue, Kafue River, Least developed countries, Linda Kasonde, London, Lusaka, Martin Luther, Member states of the African Union, Member states of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Member states of the United Nations, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Presidents of Zambia, Republic of the Congo, Republics, Sino-Metals Leach Zambia dam disaster, THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT, Uganda, un global, Washington, Yoweri Museveni, Zambia, ZESCOadmin

For Zambian voters, the 2026 election represents a critical choice balancing long-term macroeconomic recovery against immediate, severe household pressures. While President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration successfully restructured the nation’s default-era debt and introduced popular programs like universal free education, ordinary citizens are heavily squeezed by a high cost of living, rising food costs, and inflation exacerbated by a historic drought. A primary concern voters should watch out for is the post-election handling of the country’s structural electricity crisis. To avoid grueling 20-hour blackouts during the campaign cycle, the state utility ZESCO has relied on costly emergency regional power imports. Because this spending is fiscally unsustainable, voters face the high risk of a post-election fiscal correction, which will likely involve steep, inflation-inducing retail tariff hikes or a return to severe load-shedding. Furthermore, due to widespread grassroots dissatisfaction with local representation, there is a strong potential for split-ticket voting, meaning voters may back the incumbent president while actively rejecting sitting members of parliament and local councilors. Continue reading →

01Aug/26

Zambia’s 2026 battle over development receipts

August 1, 2026PoliticsConstituency Development Fund, Hakainde Hichilema, Iris Kaingu, Kaaba, McQueen Zaza, Michael Kaingu, Michael Sata, Muchende, Munir Zulu, Mwandi, Presidents of Zambia, Thom Shamakamba, United Party for National Development, Zambiaadmin

Sat, Aug 01 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The 2026 elections are unfolding within a

new governance paradigm that prioritizes decentralized development and performance-based outcomes over traditional dynastic patronage and performative rhetoric. The unprecedented expansion of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF)—which increased allocations per constituency from K1.6 million in 2021 to K40 million in 2026—has made localized, tangible development the primary test of political legitimacy. Consequently, the path to public office in 2026 will likely be determined by a candidate’s proven record of local service, effective management of public resources, and engagement in evidence-based campaign discourse, rather than relying on hereditary claims or social media influence. Continue reading →

22Jul/26

How Green Copper Overthrew Zambia’s Democracy

July 22, 2026EconomyAdam Matthews, Artisanal mining, BENCHMARK MINERALS, Chile, Critical raw materials, Edgar Lungu, Energy transition, First Quantum Minerals, global witness, Greg Mills, Hakainde Hichilema, India, JOHANNESBURG, Larry Ellison, Lithium, Minerals, Mining, Presidents of Zambia, Primary sector, Resource extraction, S&P/TSX 60, South Africa, TORONTO, Tristan Pascall, United States, Zambiaadmin

The Restroom Negotiations: How a Canadian Mining Giant Bought a Presidency and Rewrote Zambia’s Laws

Wed, July 22 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The provided documents explore the essential role of the mining industry in the global transition toward a low-carbon economy, particularly the rising demand for transition minerals. These sources emphasize that while mineral extraction underpins a vast portion of global wealth, it simultaneously presents significant environmental and social risks, such as habitat loss, water stress, and human rights concerns. To address these challenges, the Global Investor Commission on Mining 2030 outlines a framework for institutional investors to use their financial influence to promote responsible operations. By prioritizing capital allocation and active stewardship, investors can encourage better safety standards, equitable benefit distribution, and the adoption of circular economy principles. Ultimately, the reports argue that a strategic “reset” of the relationship between finance and mining is necessary to ensure the industry leaves a positive legacy for host communities. These materials serve as a roadmap for achieving a sustainable mining sector that balances industrial growth with ecological and ethical boundaries. Continue reading →

18Jul/26

Guy Scott: The Life and Legacy of a Zambian Statesman

July 18, 2026PoliticsBarack Obama, Barclays Bank, Bemba, Cambridge, Death and state funeral of Michael Sata, Frederick Chiluba, Guy Lindsay Scott, Guy Scott, Guy Scott Sat, Hakainde Hichilema, Kenneth Kaunda, Lewanika, Livingstone, Michael Sata, Michael SataBy, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, Patriotic Front, Presidents of Zambia, Sata, Zambia, Zambian presidential electionadmin

The Life, Legacy, and Passing of Guy Scott

Sat, July 18 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Dr. Guy Lindsay Scott was born in Livingstone in 1944 to Scottish immigrant parents. Educated at Cambridge and the University of Sussex, where he earned a PhD in cognitive science, Scott entered politics as part of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) in 1991. Appointed Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries, he earned national acclaim for successfully managing the catastrophic 1991–1992 drought, stabilizing food production, and preventing widespread famine.

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21Jun/26

Chinese debt and mining labor in Zambia

June 21, 2026EconomyBeijing, Chambishi, Charles Ho Wang Mak, China, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, China–Zambia relations, Copperbelt Province, Debt crisis, Debt-trap diplomacy, Economy of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, France, Kenneth Kaunda, Mao Zedong, Paris, Presidents of Zambia, South Africa, TAZARA Railway, Zambia, Zimbabweadmin

The Dragon and the Copper Belt: The Complex Realities of China-Zambia Relations

Fri, Jun 18 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The relationship between China and Zambia is deeply complex, evolving from historical solidarity into a modern partnership defined by massive economic investment, sovereign debt crises, and significant labor controversies. Continue reading →

25Feb/26

Leaked $1bn US-Zambia Health Deal Sparks Outrage Over Data and Mining Demands

February 25, 2026HealthAsia Russell, Elijah Muchima, Hakainde Hichilema, Josiah Kalala, Julius Kachidza, Kenya, Presidents of Zambia, United States, Washington, Zambia, Zimbabweadmin

25 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — A leaked draft of a $1bn health financing agreement between the US and Zambia has provoked widespread backlash and accusations of “shameless exploitation”. Under the proposed memorandum of understanding, Washington would provide health funding in exchange for severe and unprecedented conditions that advocates argue are vastly worse than deals struck with other African nations. Continue reading →