Zambia goes to the polls today to elect its President and Parliament.
Edgar Lungu, the incumbent, and who has been in the position since 2015, faces a stiff challenge from perennial presidential candidate, Hakainde Hichilema. In a crowded field of sixteen candidates the two are the only ones with a realistic chance of a shot at the presidency.
Lungu and the governing Patriotic Front (PF) are increasingly unpopular, having presided over a declining economy, which has seen debt spiral and inflation leap to its highest level in twenty years.
However, the election comes as Lungu and the PF crack down on free political activity. Hichilema has claimed that he has been prevented from visiting numerous parts of Zambia to campaign while the PF has been using taxpayer resources for party political uses. At the same time, there have been reports as well as videos on social media of soldiers on the streets of parts of Zambia, their purpose not entirely clear.
There are also concerns that following the election today voting tallies could be altered and the internet shut down, making it harder for opposition supporters to communicate.
According to The Economist, in a free-and-fair election Hichilema would narrowly emerge as the outright victor. It remains to be seen if the poll will reflect the will of the Zambian people.
Image by David Peterson from Pixabay