Vote counting in Zambia's presidential election was suspended Friday and then restarted hours later under heightened security after the electoral commission reported attacks against polling station officials and theft of ballot papers, according to a statement from the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

The suspension marked an unusual development for the southern African nation of 22 million people that has held largely peaceful elections since returning to multiparty democracy in 1991. Riot police and army vehicles deployed to parts of Lusaka, including the main vote tallying center, though there were no immediate reports of major unrest.

Thursday's election featured President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second five-year term against 13 other candidates. The vote was seen as a test of Hichilema's economic recovery plan after Zambia faced a debt crisis in 2020. He oversaw restructuring of the country's sovereign debt, reined in inflation, and stabilized the currency during his first term.

What the Right Is Saying

Main opposition candidate Brian Mundubile, who leads an alliance of parties challenging Hichilema, raised serious concerns about the integrity of the vote. His alliance stated it had "received deeply troubling reports from several parts of the country" questioning the credibility of the election.

Mundubile warned that the suspension of counting could create opportunities for manipulation. "Put the records before the nation and allow every number to be reconciled," he said in a video statement. "The people of Zambia voted. Their decision must be respected."

The opposition leader claimed his team received information that military members had taken control of vote counting stations in at least one town, and that boxes containing ballots had been removed from polling stations in other areas. He did not provide evidence for these claims.

Mundubile's alliance previously accused the government of orchestrating a law enforcement raid on its offices days before the election, which they characterized as an attempt to disrupt their campaign efforts.

What the Left Is Saying

President Hakainde Hichilema called on Zambians to remain calm as counting resumed. "Remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote," he wrote in a statement posted to X.

Supporters of Hichilema's administration pointed to his economic accomplishments during his first term, including debt restructuring and currency stabilization following the 2020 crisis. They argued that the electoral process remained fundamentally sound despite isolated incidents and that counting had resumed under proper oversight.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia stated that "the violence is targeted at poll staff and in some instances has resulted in the theft of marked ballot papers in ballot boxes." Electoral commission head Mwangala Zaloumis later announced that counting would resume after consultations with law enforcement agencies, saying "the security threat to the electoral process has been contained."

What the Numbers Show

About 8 million people were registered to vote at more than 13,500 polling stations across Zambia for Thursday's presidential election.

Hichilema was one of 14 candidates seeking the presidency. Mundubile emerged this year as leader of the main opposition alliance after former President Edgar Lungu died in 2024.

The electoral commission reported that violence affected a small number of polling stations specifically in Lusaka, though official figures on the exact number of affected locations have not been released.

Zambia gained independence from Britain in 1964 and was governed as a one-party state from 1973 to 1991. The country has conducted multiple peaceful transfers of power between political parties since adopting multiparty democracy more than three decades ago.

The Bottom Line

Vote counting resumed Friday evening under heightened security after the electoral commission declared that security threats had been contained, though opposition concerns about process integrity remain unresolved.

The incident represents a test for Zambia's democratic institutions, which have been praised for peaceful transfers of power since 1991. Final election results could take several days to tabulate and certify.

International observers from regional bodies are expected to assess whether the reported incidents affected the overall fairness of the vote. The outcome will determine whether Hichilema can continue his economic reform agenda or if Mundubile's opposition alliance will take power.