Zambia heads to the polls on 13 August in what is shaping up to be one of the most alliance‑driven elections in the countrys recent history.
With 14 presidential contenders cleared to run and more than 8.8 million registered voters, the 2026 general elections mark the first national test of the countrys new mixed electoral system and a political landscape now dominated by competing coalitions rather than individual parties.
The shift reflects a broader recalibration of Zambian politics.
As the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) notes, the 2025 constitutional amendment has reshaped the rules of representation, while political parties have responded by consolidating into large blocs capable of competing for national power.
The result is an election defined by the battle of political alliances, each seeking to marshal enough collective strength to govern.
President Hakainde Hichilema enters the race backed by the UPND Alliance, now comprising 15 member parties.
The coalition, originally formed in 2021 to challenge the then‑ruling Patriotic Front (PF), has grown steadily and now includes long‑standing partners such as the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD), National Restoration Party (NAREP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Republican Progressive Party (RPP), Democratic Party (DP), Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP) and the New Nation Party (NNP).
In June, the alliance expanded further when five additional parties joined: United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia, United Progressive People, the Henry Miyoba-led United National Independence Party, National Congress Party, and a PF faction led by Miles Sampa.
The enlarged coalition gives Hichilema a broad political base as he seeks a second term, with alliance partners publicly endorsing his leadership and campaign priorities, including economic stability, job creation, digital voter registration reforms and debt restructuring milestones.
The main challenger is the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance, a merger of the Tonse Alliance and the PF Pamodzi Alliance.
The Tonse Alliance was originally formed by the PF and allied opposition parties, but internal divisions following former president Edgar Lungus ineligibility and subsequent death fractured the coalition.
Brian Mundubile was eventually selected as the Tonse Alliance presidential candidate while a separate PF faction led by Makebi Zulu formed the PF Pamodzi Alliance.
After months of disagreements, the two groupings announced a merger ahead of the August polls, agreeing to run joint campaigns and coordinate mobilisation activities under the unified Tonse Pamodzi banner.
The PF, however, remains deeply divided, with the Lubinda faction backing Zulu and the Sampa faction having crossed over to the UPND Alliance. These fractures have weakened the oppositions cohesion, with analysts warning that fragmentation could prolong UPNDs dominance.
Two additional coalitions have entered the race: the Peoples Pact, led by Socialist Party president Fred M’membe; and the Orange Alliance, led by Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba.
Both groupings have attracted smaller parties and civil‑society support, adding to the crowded alliance landscape.
M’membe, a former journalist and 2021 presidential candidate, is running on a socialist platform while Kalaba who previously served as foreign minister positions his alliance as a reformist alternative.
Independent candidate Given Katuta remains the only woman in the presidential race, mirroring the gender imbalance seen in the 2021 elections.
This year election is the first to be held under the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act 2025, which introduced sweeping changes to the countrys electoral architecture.
The reforms expanded the National Assembly from 156 to 226 constituency‑based seats and created 40 proportional representation (PR) seats reserved for 20 women, 15 youth, and five persons with disabilities
These PR seats are not presidential appointments. They are allocated to political parties based on their share of the national vote, using pre‑submitted party lists.
This system, the ECZ says, broadens democratic participation by enhancing inclusivity and ensuring improved representation of women, youths and persons with disabilities.
The amendment also introduced aconstitutional ceiling on presidential nominations, limiting nominated MPs to no more than 11, or five percent of constituency‑based seats. This measure curbs executive influence and reinforces the primacy of elected representation.
The National Assembly now includes the Vice President, Speaker and two Deputy Speakers, completing the revised structure.
The ECZ reports that 8.8 million Zambians have registered to vote across 13,529 polling stations in 226 constituencies and 1,858 wards. Women make up 53.1 percent of registered voters.
To prepare the electorate for the new system, the ECZ launched the “Count Me In” voter education campaign on 1 June, taking information into communities, schools, churches and marketplaces.
A new electoral early warning system was also introduced to help identify and map hate speech, rumours and violent incidents, and to highlight peaceful behaviour.
The campaign period runs from 12 May to 12 August, giving candidates three months to canvass support.
The UPND is campaigning on its record, including the 5 June signing of a law making free education a legal right.
In addition, the party highlights economic stabilisation, job creation and debt restructuring as key achievements.
However, it faces criticism over high food prices and restrictions on outdoor rallies. Opposition parties argue that the political environment remains uneven although the ECZ insists it is committed to “transparent, inclusive, professional” electoral processes.
The PF, despite its internal divisions, is campaigning on pro‑poor policies and the infrastructure legacy of former presidents Michael Sata and Edgar Lungu.
As a Southern African Development Community (SADC) member state, Zambias elections will be observed by the SADC Electoral Observer Mission, which will work alongside other invited regional and international missions.
Pre‑election assessments by the SADC Electoral Advisory Council and the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC in May found the environment suitable for elections, while emphasising the need for continued adherence to democratic norms.
As voters prepare to cast their ballots under a new electoral system designed to broaden representation, the outcome may hinge not only on policy platforms or campaign messages, but on how effectively these alliances mobilise their diverse partners and supporters.
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