View source for Zambian general election, 2021

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2021 Zambian general election
| country = Zambia
| previous_election = 2016 Zambian general election
| previous_year = 2016
| previous_mps = 
| election_date = {{Start date|2021|8|12|df=yes}}
| next_election = Next Zambian general election
| next_year = 2026
| module = {{Infobox election
| embed = yes
| election_name = Presidential election
| type = presidential
| vote_type = Popular
| turnout = 70.61% ({{increase}} 14.16 [[percentage point|pp]])
| image1 = [[File:HH2022.png|130x130px]]
| nominee1 = '''[[Hakainde Hichilema]]'''
| running_mate1     = '''[[Mutale Nalumango]]'''
| party1 = United Party for National Development
| popular_vote1 = '''2,852,348'''
| percentage1 = '''59.02%'''
| image2 = [[File:Edgar Lungu, 26 july 2018 (cropped).jpg|130x130px]]
| nominee2 = [[Edgar Lungu]]
| running_mate2     = [[Nkandu Luo]]
| party2 = Patriotic Front (Zambia)
| popular_vote2 = 1,870,780
| percentage2 = 38.71%
| map_image = Maps-blogs21-lightonphiri org-2021 zambia presidential elections-by constituencies-overall.svg
| map_size = 300px
| title = [[President of Zambia|President]]
| before_election = [[Edgar Lungu]]
| before_party = Patriotic Front (Zambia)
| after_election = [[Hakainde Hichilema]]
| after_party = United Party for National Development
| module = {{Infobox legislative election
| embed = yes
| election_name      = National Assembly election
| seats_for_election = 156 of the 167 seats in the [[National Assembly of Zambia|National Assembly]]
| majority_seats     = 85

| leader1            = [[Hakainde Hichilema]]
| party1             = United Party for National Development
| last_election1     = 58
| seats1             = 82
| percentage1        =

| leader2            = [[Edgar Lungu]]
| party2             = Patriotic Front (Zambia)
| last_election2     = 80
| seats2             = 59
| percentage2        =

| leader3            = [[Highvie Hamududu]]
| party3             = [[Party of National Unity and Progress|PNUP]]
| color3 = #F9A64A
| last_election3     = 0
| seats3             = 1
| percentage3        = 

| leader4       = –
| party4        = Independents
| last_election4 = 14
| seats4        = 13
| percentage4   = 
| color4 = {{Independent/meta/color}}

| title              = [[Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia|Speaker of the National Assembly]]
| before_election    = [[Patrick Matibini]]
| before_party       = Patriotic Front (Zambia)
| after_election     = TBD
| after_party        =
}}}}}}{{Politics of Zambia}}

'''General elections''' were held in [[Zambia]] on 12 August 2021 to elect the [[President of Zambia|President]] and [[National Assembly (Zambia)|National Assembly]]. President-elect Hakainde Hichilema was declared the winner after when releasing the final results from 156 constituencies, defeating incumbent Edgar Lungu. Hichilema secured 2,810,777 votes while Lungu was in second place with 1,814,201 votes, out of 7 million registered voters

==Electoral system==
The President is elected via the [[two-round system]]. Of the 167 members of the National Assembly, 156 are elected by the first-past-the-post system in single-member constituencies, with a further eight appointed by the President and three others being ex officio members: the vice president, the Speaker and one deputy speaker elected from outside the National Assembly (while the second deputy speaker is chosen from the elected members of the house). The voting age is 18, whilst National Assembly candidates must be at least 21.

==Candidates==
A total of sixteen candidates registered to run for the presidency. The race is expected to be a close race between [[Edgar Lungu]] of the [[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Patriotic Front]] and [[Hakainde Hichilema]] of the [[United Party for National Development]]. Both competed in the [[2016 Zambian general election|2016 presidential elections]], which Lungu won by a margin 50.35% to 47.63%.

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Presidential candidate
!Running mate
!Party
|-
|1.
|[[Edgar Lungu]]
|[[Nkandu Luo]]
|[[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Patriotic Front]]
|-
|2.
|[[Enock Tonga]]
|[[Bright Chomba]]
|3rd Liberation Movement
|-
|3.
|[[Sean Tembo]]
|[[Henry Muleya]]
|Patriots For Economic Progress
|-
|4.
|[[Andyford Banda]]
|[[Gerald Mulao]]
|People’s Alliance For Change
|-
|5.
|[[Chishala Kateka]]
|[[Samuel Kasanka]]
|[[Heritage Party (Zambia)|New Heritage Party]]
|-
|6.
|[[Kasonde Mwenda]]
|[[Changala Siame]]
|Economic Freedom Fighters
|-
|7.
|[[Stephen Nyirenda]]
|[[Lucy Changwe]]
|[[National Restoration Party (Zambia)|National Restoration Party]]
|-
|8.
|[[Lazarus Chisela]]
|[[Rosemary Chivumba]]
|Zambians United For Sustainable Development
|-
|9.
|[[Richard Silumbe]]
|[[Kaela Kamwenshe]]
|Leadership Movement
|-
|10.
|[[Highvie Hamududu]]
|[[Kasote Singogo]]
|Party of National Unity and Progress
|-
|11.
|[[Fred M'membe]]
|[[Cosmas Musumali]]
|[[Socialist Party (Zambia)|Socialist Party]]
|-
|12.
|[[Harry Kalaba]]
|[[Judith Kabemba]]
|Democratic Party
|-
|13.
|[[Hakainde Hichilema]]
|[[Mutale Nalumango]]
|[[United Party for National Development]]
|-
|14.
|[[Nevers Mumba]]
|[[Reuben Sambo]]
|[[Movement for Multi-Party Democracy]]
|-
|15.
|[[Charles Chanda]]
|[[Simon Mbulu]]
|United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia
|-
|16.
|[[Trevor Mwamba]]
|[[John Harawa]]
|[[United National Independence Party]]
|}

==Campaign==
On 15 May 2021 [[Electoral Commission of Zambia]] chair [[Esau Chulu]] launched the start of the election campaign. However politicians were advised to minimise large crowd gatherings during campaign meetings due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia|COVID-19 pandemic]]. The [[National Assembly of Zambia|National Assembly]] was dissolved on 12 May by President [[Edgar Lungu]] to provide a level playing field in the campaign.However, Lungu remains in office as per constitutional requirements until the new president is elected.

===Violence and virus cases rise===
On 26 May Lungu launched his own campaign. He also directed the police service and Ministry of Health to ensure enforcement of the COVID-19 pandemic health regulations and guidelines without fear or favour. On 3 June, due to the rise in [[COVID-19|COVID 19]] cases, the Electoral Commission suspended campaign rallies again to avoid large crowds. On 15 June the Electoral Commission banned the [[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Patriotic Front]] and [[United Party for National Development]] from campaigning in [[Lusaka]], [[Mpulungu District|Mpulungu]], [[Namwala District|Namwala]] and [[Nakonde District|Nakonde]] due to political violence. The Commission also banned all roadshows across the country to curb the transmission of COVID-19. On 1 August Lungu ordered the deployment of the [[Zambian Army|military]] to help the [[Zambia Police Service|police]] fight escalating political violence during the campaign.

===Hakainde Hichilema blocked ===
On 28 July UPND Secretary General [[Batuke Imenda]] released a statement that the party was disappointed with government institutions being used by President Lungu to block UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema from campaigning. On 30 July Hichilema and his campaign team were prevented from entering [[Chipata]] and detained on the runway of [[Chipata Airport]]. Before Hichilema's arrival in Chipata, police had teargassed his supporters. On 3 August police in [[Mbala, Zambia|Mbala]] blocked Hichilema and his campaign team from entering the town, with police claiming that he needed a permit to enter.

==Conduct==
On 12 August during the election day several [[Twitter]] users went to the platfom to report that [[Social media]] and [[Instant messaging|messaging apps]], including [[Facebook]], [[Instagram]], and [[WhatsApp]] appeared to be shutdown in the country.But internet users are using [[Virtual private network|VPN]] services to bypass the restrictions on WhatsApp and these other social media platforms. However Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, [[Amos Malupenga]], denied the reports, calling them “malicious.” He further went on "that the government would not tolerate abuse of the internet and if any mischief occurred, therefore the goverment, expects citizens to use the internet responsibly. But if some people choose to abuse the internet to mislead and misinform, the government will not hesitate to invoke relevant legal provisions to forestall any breakdown of law and order as the country passes through the election period,” Malupenga said. Despite his comment, social media sites are shut down and citizens have resorted to using VPNs. 

==Preliminary results==
===President===
{{Election results
|cand1=[[Hakainde Hichilema]]|party1=[[United Party for National Development]]|votes1=2810757
|cand2=[[Edgar Lungu]]|party2=[[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Patriotic Front]]|votes2=1814201
|cand3=[[Harry Kalaba]]|party3=Democratic Party|votes3=24879
|cand4=[[Andyford Banda]]|party4= People’s Alliance For Change|votes4=19804
|cand5=[[Fred M'membe]]|party5=[[Socialist Party (Zambia)|Socialist Party]]|votes5=16379
|cand6=[[Highvie Hamududu]]|party6=Party of National Unity and Progress|votes6=10388
|cand7=[[Chishala Kateka]]|party7=[[Heritage Party (Zambia)|New Heritage Party]]|votes7=8063
|cand8=[[Charles Chanda]]|party8=United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia|votes8=6520
|cand9=[[Lazarus Chisela]]|party9=Zambians United For Sustainable Development|votes9=5229
|cand10=[[Nevers Mumba]]||party10=[[Movement for Multi-Party Democracy]]|votes10=4809
|cand11=[[Enock Tonga]]||party11=3rd Liberation Movement|votes11=3088
|cand12=[[Trevor Mwamba]]|party12=[[United National Independence Party]]|votes12=2992
|cand13=[[Sean Tembo]]|party13=Patriots For Economic Progress|votes13=1798
|cand14=[[Stephen Nyirenda]]|party14=[[National Restoration Party (Zambia)|National Restoration Party]]|votes14=1766
|cand15=[[Kasonde Mwenda]]|party15=Economic Freedom Fighters|votes15=1331
|cand16=[[Richard Silumbe]]|party16=Leadership Movement|votes16=1283
|invalid=124906
|electorate=7023499
|source= [https://zambiaelections2021.org.zm/ ECZ] (155 out of 156 constituencies reporting)
}}

== Reactions ==

=== Domestic ===

* On 14 August Lungu the incumbent president declared the elections "[[Election|not free and fair]]" pointing to the violence that happed in three provinces during election day when two members were murdered and supporters are in hiding he also added that the governing party polling agents were brutalized and chased from polling stations a situation that left the ruling party votes unprotected.
=== International ===

* {{Flag|European Union}}: On 14 August the EU Chief observer published a Press Release only commenting on observation undertaken up until the 14th of August. Maria Arena the Chief observer Said the election was largely calm and well-administered despite long queues, which shows the devotion of Zambians to exercise their right to vote, however concerning the campaign, the Chief Observer noted that the campaigns took place in a highly competitive environment adding that selective application of laws and regulations, misuse of state resources and one-sided media reporting meant that a level playing field was not achieved.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Zambian elections}}


[[Category:Elections in Zambia]]
[[Category:Presidential elections in Zambia]]
[[Category:20121 in Zambia]]