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Zambia incumbent takes early election lead as opposition alleges armed raid

Al Jazeera · back to the audit

Zambia's incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema holds nearly 59% of the vote with over half of constituencies counted, positioning him for a potential first-round victory. However, his lead is overshadowed by opposition allegations of an armed raid on their candidate's residence. Hichilema's nearest challenger, Brian Mundubile of the NRPUP, garnered approximately one-third of votes. A candidate requires over 50% to avoid a runoff; final results expected within days. The NRPUP alleged that "armed personnel" entered Mundubile's home Friday night, "firing live ammunition" and wounding a parliamentary member. Mundubile stated: "there is no political language that can sanitise what happened" while urging supporters against retaliation. Zambian authorities had not responded to allegations at the time of publication. UPND officials have previously characterized opposition claims as exaggerations designed to undermine electoral legitimacy.