LUSAKA, ZAMBIA | 13 August 2026
By The Zambian Economist Analyst
President Hakainde Hichilema has thanked Zambians who voted, encouraged those still in queues to remain in line and urged the country to wait patiently for official election results.
In a statement issued as voting drew to a close on Thursday, Hichilema praised citizens for participating and appealed for calm during the transition from polling to counting. His description of voting nationwide as peaceful and calm is reported as the President’s assessment, not as an independently verified nationwide finding.
Photo credit: President Hakainde Hichilema.
Hichilema Thanks Voters and Those Still in Queues
Hichilema thanked “every Zambian who came out to vote” and also acknowledged people who were still waiting to cast their ballots. He said citizens had again shown maturity and commitment to democracy, peace and unity.
The President told anyone still in a queue to remain there until they had been given the opportunity to vote. That message is consistent with the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s position that voters already in the marked queue at a station’s closing time must be allowed to cast their ballots. The Zambian Economist has explained how the ECZ voting-time extension applies at late-opening stations.
“As voting comes to an end, we call on everyone to remain patient as we all wait for the official results.”
President Hakainde Hichilema
Peaceful and Calm Voting Claim Remains Attributed
Hichilema said voting across Zambia had been peaceful and calm. That nationwide claim had not been independently verified by The Zambian Economist at the time of publication and should therefore be understood as an attributed statement from the President.
There was supporting but limited evidence from some locations. Earlier on election day, Library Development Foundation observers reported calm conditions at several polling stations they visited in Lusaka. Their observations covered a sample of stations and were not presented as a nationwide assessment.
Other election-day reporting also recorded orderly queues and steady voting at Lusaka Golf Club. These local reports provide context but do not independently establish conditions in every constituency.
Zambia Now Awaits Official Election Results
The President’s appeal shifts attention from voting to the official verification and declaration process. Polling-station counts are only the first stage; figures then move through constituency verification and national collation before the Electoral Commission declares the official outcome.
The ECZ’s published 2026 elections timetable schedules the receipt and verification of results from 15 to 17 August, with the declaration of election results set for 17 August. The Zambian Economist has also examined the planned results-announcement process and calls for procedural clarity.
Until ECZ verification is complete, isolated polling-station figures, party tallies and social-media posts should not be treated as a national result. The official process matters because early numbers may cover only a small or uneven share of the country.
Why Patience Matters for Institutional and Economic Confidence
A credible results period depends on citizens, political parties and public officials distinguishing verified information from speculation. Waiting for official figures gives election administrators time to reconcile forms, address discrepancies and maintain a clear record of how constituency totals produce the national outcome.
For businesses and investors, the immediate issue is uncertainty. An orderly, transparent count can reduce the risk that unverified claims disrupt normal activity or undermine confidence in public institutions. Readers can follow the economic and market indicators being watched during Zambia’s election period.
What Voters and Readers Should Know
- Hichilema thanked Zambians who voted and urged anyone still in a queue to remain until they could cast a ballot.
- His description of voting nationwide as peaceful and calm is an attributed presidential statement.
- Observer reports from several Lusaka polling stations provide local context but do not amount to nationwide verification.
- Only results verified and declared through the ECZ process should be treated as official.
- Early figures should not be used to claim a national winner before official collation is complete.
The Bottom Line
Hichilema’s closing message was one of thanks, patience and restraint. Zambia has moved from voting into counting, and the central public responsibility now is to allow the official process to run while treating all premature result claims with caution.
Related Election Coverage
- Voting Closes, ECZ Extends Hours for Late-Opening Stations
- Zambians Vote as Hichilema Seeks Second Term on Economic Recovery Record
- ECZ Launches National Election Results Centre at Mulungushi
- Follow The Zambian Economist’s Election 2026 Economics coverage
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