Following the Presidential Election in Zambia on August 12, the Electoral Commission of Zambia has announced Opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development as the winner of the hotly-contested election.

Hichelima defeated incumbent, Edgar Chagwa Lungu of the Patriotic Front by almost a million votes.

Hichelima is a perennial candidate after contesting and losing in the 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 & 2016 Zambia Presidential Elections.

He lost to incumbent, Lungu in the 2015 and 2016 Presidential Election, now beating his nemesis in 2021.

"As Returning Officer, I have made a decision to declare result without Mandevu Constituency. Consolidated results are for 155 of 156 constituencies. Mandevu results cannot materially influence current result" - Chairperson, Justice Esau Chulu

Hichelima will become Zambia's 7th President when sworn-in.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

Hakainde Hichilema (born 4 June 1962) is a Zambian businessman and politician who has been President of the United Party for National Development, an opposition political party, since 2006.

Hichilema was born in a village in Monze District in present-day Zambia. He received a scholarship to study at the University of Zambia and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Business Administration. He thereafter pursued an MBA in Finance and Business at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

He served as the Chief Executive Officer of both Coopers and Lybrand Zambia (1994–1998) and Grant Thornton Zambia (1998–2006).

POLITICAL CAREER

He is a member of the opposition United Party for National Development, a liberal political party. Following the death of Anderson Mazoka in 2006, he was elected as the party's new President. He also served as the leader of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), an alliance of three opposition political parties.

ARREST & TREASON CHARGE
Hichilema was arrested on 11 April 2017. On the night of the 11th of April 2017 the Zambian Police broke and entered Hakainde Hichilema's compound to arrest the country's main opposition leader, ordered by President Edgar Lungu’s Government and charged with treason after he was accused of endangering the president's life after his motorcade allegedly refused to give way to the one transporting President Lungu, a case which many viewed as a minor traffic offence and not one that could amount to treason. Hichilema strongly denied the charge, which carries a maximum sentence of death penalty.

The police used excessive force to enter Hichilema's residence damaging his home and property, beat up all his workers, stole colossal sums of money, jewelry, as well as underwear, shoes, speakers, blankets, carpets and food from the kitchen and defecated on Mr. Hichilema's bed. Teargas canisters were thrown inside Hichilema's home gassing Hichilema, his asthmatic wife, and his children, who collapsed several times due to inhaling the gas.

Hichilema's arrest was widely condemned by the United States, the European Union and the European Parliament who called it an attempt to silent dissent and opposition.

The Catholic bishops strongly condemned the arrest and said Zambia had become dictatorship under President Edgar Lungu.

Julius Malema, the leader of South Africa's EFF party, accused Zambia's President Edgar Lungu of apartheid style repression for detaining Hichilema on treason charges and called President Lungu a “coward”.

He was refused visitations from even his wife, Mutinta, and his arrest was the subject of the episode of Al Jazeera's The Stream TV program titled Is Zambia's Democracy in Danger which aired on 30 May 2017.

High-profile jail visitations
Zambia's first president Kenneth Kaunda was turned away by prison officials when he visited Hichilema in Prison.

Mmusi Maimane, leader of the Democratic Alliance (South Africa) was also turned away by Zambia Police when he came to Zambia to attend Hichilema's court appearance, he was not allowed to disembark from the plane, had his phone confiscated and was roughed up.

This prompted South Africa's Foreign Ministry to summon Zambia's Ambassador to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba to explain the actions of the Zambian regime.

Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo was one of those who visited Hichilema in prison.

Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland visited Hichilema in prison twice.

Protests broke out in Zambia, South Africa and the United Kingdom demanding the release of Hichilema and condemning Edgar Lungu's authoritarian rule and deteriorating human rights in Zambia.

He was eventually released amid celebrations throughout Zambia on 16 August 2017 and scores of people lined up the roads of Lusaka to have a glimpse of Hichilema as his motorcade left prison.

Hichilema became more popular after his release and was awarded the Africa Freedom Award in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Police warning and caution in 2020
On 23 December 2020, Hichilema received a warning and caution at the Zambian Police Headquarters in Lusaka for an alleged offence of "conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 313 of the Penal Code, Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia", relating to the purchase of a property in 2004. As Hichilema arrived for questioning, police clashed with UPND supporters. In an attempt to disperse the crowd, police reportedly shot dead a State Prosecutor and a UPND supporter.

Hichilema was the first Zambian to be invited to speak at The Royal Institute of International Affairs, commonly known as Chatham House, on 31 November 2017.

Hichilema is married to Mutinta and has three children. He is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a millionaire and the second-largest cattle rancher in Zambia.

Edgar Lungu congratulates Hichelima

Fellow Citizen,

i am addressing the Nation on key national issues. remember to remain peacefull and calm. May God bless this Nation.

"I want to thank and cherish Zambians for believing in me as your President. All I wanted was to save my Country,...I congratulate my opponent, Hichelima....God Bless you all."

fergie001:

TMKsouth:


Dude, why was this announcement made in the early hours of the morning? Hope Lungu accepts defeat and doesn't try anything, especially coz the army is already on the streets.

TMKsouth:
Never understood this Edgar Lungu - he was never my ideal guy to lead a humble nation such as Zambia.

Congrats to Hichilema and the people of Zambia - 6th or 7th time lucky I believe. Hope he takes Zambia to greater heights and that he also doesn't become crazy at some point, like most others.

BlessedNuel:
Hope he gives back to the people what they have given to him..... Congratulations to him thoo

Meanwhile in the other news....Nigerians are yet to even see the true change they bargained for since 2015