Zambia to vote as economic hardship tests government reforms

Lusaka, Zambia – Zambians vote on August 13 in general elections widely seen as a test of whether years of economic reform have translated into improvements in everyday life.About 8.79 million voters are registered for the poll, according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia. Fourteen candidates are contesting the presidency, including Hakainde Hichilema, leader of the governing United Party for National Development (UPND), who is seeking a second term, and Brian Mundubile, the presidential candidate of the opposition Tonse Alliance.Hichilema’s government points to progress on economic reforms, including Zambia’s debt restructuring and the completion of its IMF-supported programme.Inflation fell to 6.8 percent in April, according to the Zambia Statistics Agency, but high food, fuel and electricity costs continue to put pressure on households.Economic recordJoan Chirwa, a human rights defender and veteran journalist based in Zambia and the founder of the Free Press Initiative, said many citizens are yet to see tangible improvements in their daily lives.“The central question coming from voters is increasingly whether the economic reforms of Hichilema’s first term have translated int...