MARY LEMBA Lusaka PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema is favoured to retain the presidency in Thursday’s general election, with the United Party for National Development (UPND) given a 70-80 percent chance of securing an outright first-round victory, according to a new analysis by the Public Affairs Research Institute in Africa (PARIAfrica). The analysis puts the likelihood of a second round at 15-25 percent, citing opposition fragmentation and organisational weaknesses as key factors giving the ruling party an advantage. The pre-election briefing, titled Zambia’s 13 August General Election: Assessing the Route to the Presidency, is authored by Southern Africa Coalition for Democracy and Accountability executive director Blessing Vava and Masosote Institute for Political Economy director Tamuka Chirimambowa. The analysis, published on August 8, 2026, shows that President Hichilema is favoured to cross the mandatory 50 percent threshold, although it cautions that the reasoning behind the projected victory is not as straightforward as incumbent...

CHRISTINE CHIHAME, ESTHER NG’ANDU Chembe, Kitwe PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema was yesterday greeted by enthusiastic crowds in Chembe, Milenge, Chipili and Mwansabombwe districts in Luapula Province, where he pledged to create more job opportunities, improve infrastructure and enhance agricultural activities. In all the four community engagements, the President spelled out his scorecard containing achievements in areas like education, health, the economy and governance, promising to recruit more than 45,000 teachers and more than 20,000 health workers if elected in Thursday’s elections. In Chembe, Mr Hichilema pledged to build a full-fledged skills training college and a new district hospital. The head of State also promised to improve feeder roads in Matanda, rehabilitate Chipete-Kalasakando and the Pedicle Road to boost investment and trade in the district. “That is why we need your vote. Your vote will allow us to promote more investors in agriculture, mining and tourism here in Chembe so that you...

MARGARET CHISANGA Lusaka WITH five years to go before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals expire, the expanded Southern Africa Gender and Development Index (SGDI) has given the region an overall score of 58%, ranging from 74 percent in South Africa to 48 percent in Angola. The Barometer is produced by Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance, a network of national focal and regional women’s rights networks that campaigned for the gender protocol and now monitor its implementation. “Only South Africa, Namibia, Seychelles, Mauritius and Lesotho score higher than 60 percent,” a press statement reads. The SGDI tracks 70 gender targets, including 28 found in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development adopted when South Africa last chaired SADC in 2008. The SGDI was launched at the civil society forum convened under the theme ‘Democratic Futures in Africa’ by the Southern Africa Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (SAf-CNGO), parallel...

MARY LEMBA Lusaka MORE world leaders and prominent Zambians have congratulated President Hakainde Hichilema on his reelection, describing the outcome of the August 13 general election as a demonstration of Zambia’s democratic maturity, political stability and commitment to peace. Angolan President João Lourenço has congratulated President Hichilema on his victory, saying the election reflects the confidence Zambians have placed in his leadership and the democratic maturity of the country. In his congratulatory message, President Lourenço said the election demonstrated the Zambian people’s commitment to the national interest, patriotism and respect for the sovereign decision of the electorate. He said Angola looked forward to working with Zambia during President Hichilema’s second term to deepen bilateral cooperation and implement projects aimed at promoting the development of the two countries. Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed confidence that Zambia will continue to achieve success, peace and prosperity under President Hichilema’s leadership. President Herzog said...

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MATHEWS MALAZIKA Lusaka TO ENHANCE the handling of green criminology, the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) has established an Environmental and Wildlife Crime Department. Director of Public Prosecutions Gilbert Phiri says creation of the department is one of the huge achievements for NPA in the last five years. “Environmental and wildlife crime was lowhanging in terms of income for this country. We have created this department so that we have more specialisation. “As you know, Zambia has huge extractive industries that impact the environment,” he said. Mr Phiri said the last five years has been a busy period for the authority, as the institution has rebranded to enable it to be people-centred. He said the authority has improved its stakeholder engagement, adding that NPA is being moulded as an institution for the future. “We have reformed the institution and brought in professionals. The institution now has a new board that has...

MARGARET CHISANGA Lusaka FRONT-LINE aid workers and health workers, who often risk their lives while trying to safeguard women and their babies in the world’s most dangerous settings, have been honoured for their work. In a statement to mark World Humanitarian day, United Nations Population Fund UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita, said the commitment shown by frontline aid workers and health workers has resulted in the protection of millions of mothers and their babies. “This unwavering commitment to nurturing the most vulnerable should compel us to do everything we can as an international community to ensure their protection, even – or especially – in the most acute and protracted of crises,” She said. She said every day, the world is witness to the courage of the millions of pregnant women and mothers who do all they can to protect new life as conflict upends their own. “On this World Humanitarian...

CHOMBA MUSIKA Lusaka PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has warned that he will not tolerate individuals seeking to promote anarchy, political violence or division through the use of militias. Mr Hichilema said no one will be allowed to divide Zambia and warned that those found promoting anarchy or threatening the safety of citizens will face the law. He was speaking yesterday when he met United Party for National Development (UPND) youths at Community House. The President said he has information that some politicians want to form government through the use of militia, warning that Zambia has no room for armed groups masquerading as politicians. “You want to kill people using military weapons. In this country, we will not allow militias, armed people masquerading as politicians,” Mr Hichilema said. He also referred to former Nkana lawmaker Binwell Mpundu’s reported remarks that he was prepared to kill or die for the 2026 elections, questioning...

ZAMBIA is at an important moment in its democratic journey, and the need for peaceful, responsible and mature political engagement has never been greater. Elections inevitably generate strong emotions. Victories bring celebration while defeats can bring disappointment, anger and uncertainty. But political competition must never become a contest in which the stability and security of the country are sacrificed for political ambition. Peace is not merely the absence of violence. It is the foundation upon which democracy functions. It allows citizens to express their views freely, enables political parties to challenge one another without fear, and gives institutions the space to perform their constitutional duties without intimidation. It is therefore encouraging that Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba has reaffirmed his party’s commitment to nonviolent democratic engagement, transparency and accountability. Such a position is important at a time when political emotions remain high and the country awaits the full conclusion of...

MARGARET CHISANGA Lusaka THE United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to accelerate the transformation of the region’s vast mineral and agricultural wealth into industrial production and regional value chains. Addressing Heads of State and Government at the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit today, ECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete delivered an assessment of Africa’s position in the global economy. He highlighted the extraordinary endowment of Southern Africa, rich deposits of platinum, lithium, diamonds, manganese, cobalt and copper, alongside fertile land, manufacturing capacity, financial markets and transport corridors linking the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Mr Gatete further outlined six priorities for the region to advance industrialisation: Mobilize financing and partnerships at scale. Governments must lead but cannot finance this transformation alone. Development finance institutions, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and the private sector must prepare bankable regional projects in energy, transport,...