Zambia's Hichilema wins second term as president

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second term in office after winning the country's presidential election, according to results announced by the electoral commission.

The commission said early Tuesday that Hichilema won about 60 percent of the valid votes, comfortably defeating his main challenger, Brian Mundubile, who received approximately 38 percent.

The victory marks Hichilema's seventh attempt to win the presidency. He entered the election as the incumbent and was considered the favourite, while Mundubile was contesting the presidency for the first time.

The election campaign had been relatively calm ahead of the August 13 vote, but tensions rose sharply on election night.

Authorities arrested 11 people, including prominent opposition figures, during a raid in which gunfire was exchanged. Mundubile was reportedly at the scene at the time.

Vote counting was suspended for several hours the following day after authorities received reports of violence targeting election officials and the theft of ballot papers.

Mundubile subsequently raised concerns about the integrity of the vote, saying he had been informed that results forms from some polling stations may have been altered. He called for an immediate independent investigation into the allegations.

Hichilema's camp rejected the claims, accusing his challenger of making false allegations.

The disputed election comes as Zambia continues to grapple with political tensions surrounding its electoral process. Hichilema's second-term victory now gives him another mandate to govern the southern African nation, despite opposition concerns over the conduct of the poll.