Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema was inaugurated Tuesday to begin his second term after a disputed election that saw some opposition leaders arrested and the country's courts closed for legal appeals to the election outcomes. The inauguration ceremony took place at the National Heroes Stadium in the capital Lusaka before thousands of supporters.
Hichilema was declared the winner of the August 18 election with approximately 60% of the presidential vote, according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia. The nation, which returned to multiparty democracy in 1991, has largely held peaceful elections in the years since.
The president's main challenger, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, secured about 38% of the vote. Mundubile subsequently claimed voting irregularities and rejected the election results.
The inauguration was attended by several African leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto, Botswana President Duma Boko, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
In his address to supporters, Hichilema stated that the voices of those who voted for the opposition had also been heard through the democratic process. "We receive your support with humility and with a clear understanding of the responsibility it places upon our shoulders. To those who chose other candidates or other parties, we say with equal sincerity, we have heard you," Hichilema said.
The election's outcome has been complicated by reports of the arrest of Mundubile and his running mate, Makebu Zulu. Local media reported that the two are being held at the Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison in central Zambia. Mundubile had stated he went into hiding out of fear for his life after disputing the results, and following a raid on his home by security forces the day after the election. He and Zulu surrendered to police on August 24 after seeking refuge at a United Nations building.