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EXPERT COMMENT

In opposition Hichilema made international friends as a champion of democracy. In power he must resist tipping the scales in favour of his party.

Zambia’s general election on 13 August has far greater international significance than the country’s landlocked status and modest economic size might imply. The winner of the presidential poll will take power over a country at the centre of Africa’s critical minerals competition, debt diplomacy and shifting regional alliances. Zambia’s prized democratic reputation will also be tested.  

President Hakainde Hichilema’s first term has been defined by the tension between intersecting priorities. On one hand, his economic and political reforms require policy consistency and a commitment to maintaining the country’s democratic institutions. On the other, a lag between headline economic reforms and a tangible sense of improvement for Zambians increases the risk his party is rejected at the ballot box. 

The president has been accused by the opposition of taking an authoritarian approach to shore up his support. But Hichilema can secure a second term without democratic backsliding. And a credible election is vital to preserving the faith of investors. The UK, EU and Zambia’s allies across Africa must now act as critical friends to ensure that this election is not overshadowed by authoritarianism.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.