Voting got underway on Thursday morning in Zambia’s general elections that are widely expected to give President Hakainde Hichilema a second term in office.
Elected in 2021, he is running on his economic record, having steered the country through a debt restructuring and economic rebound since it defaulted on its sovereign debt in 2020.
But although economic indicators have improved, with households still facing high food and energy prices, analysts say frustration over the cost of living crisis may dent his support.
The president's main challenger in a field of 13 other hopefuls is Brian Mundubile, a 55-year-old former minister in the Patriotic Front (PF) government that ruled from 2011 to 2021.
Backed by an alliance of opposition parties, Mundubile is running under the newly formed NRPUP party which draws much of its political base from the PF.
