LUSAKA: Tens of thousands of supporters of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema thronged the capital Lusaka Tuesday as he made a last-ditch effort to sway undecided voters two days before the election.
His main challenger at Thursday’s vote, newcomer Brian Mundubile, meanwhile alleged a pattern of abductions and arrests to silence and intimidate the opposition.
Hichilema, who came to power in 2021, is seeking a second five-year term in the copper-rich country of 22 million people that wants to position itself as a key player in the global green-energy transition.
At the campaign rally in a former opposition stronghold south of Lusaka, supporters of the 64-year-old president wore the red colors of his ruling United Party for National Development as they danced and waved flags.
“We are seeking job opportunities. We are on our knees, Mr.President,” read a banner held aloft by volunteer nurses looking for employment. A similar banner was brandished by a group of teachers.
