Archive note: Lusaka Brief launched in September 2026. This entry was added retrospectively so the record of a significant national moment is preserved. It is based on reporting and official statements that were publicly available at the time.
President Hakainde Hichilema launched the UPND's 2026 election manifesto on 11 June, setting out the platform on which he will seek a second term: continued economic recovery, investment in the copper industry, expanded free education and support for agriculture.
The launch formalised a candidacy confirmed at the party's April convention, where Hichilema was nominated without opposition. His running mate is Vice-President Mutale Nalumango.
The manifesto leans heavily on the government's first-term record: the G20 debt restructuring, restored relations with international lenders, and inflation brought down from above 20% to single digits. The campaign has promised to press on with reducing the cost of living and creating jobs for young people.
The opposition Tonse Alliance, fronted by Brian Mundubile of the NRPUP with Makebi Zulu as running mate, is contesting the same economic ground from the other side — arguing that macroeconomic gains have not reached ordinary households. The official campaign period runs from 21 May to 12 August, under a timetable issued by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
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