MUNDUBILE WINS ACROSS NORTH AND EAST, BUT HUGE SOUTHERN MARGINS KEEP HICHILEMA AHEAD
MUNDUBILE WINS ACROSS NORTH AND EAST, BUT HUGE SOUTHERN MARGINS KEEP HICHILEMA AHEAD
LUSAKA — The latest Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) results are continuing to show a striking contrast in the presidential race: Brian Mundubile is winning a larger number of constituencies across the North and East, but President Hakainde Hichilema is building a substantial national advantage through exceptionally large victories in Southern Province.
The ECZ announced the latest results at about 23:00 hours CAT, bringing the number of consolidated constituencies to 49 out of 226.
The overall tally now stands at:
Hakainde Hichilema — 438,708 votes
Brian Mundubile — 351,281 votes
Hichilema’s lead — 87,427 votes
The detailed results illustrate why the race cannot be judged simply by counting the number of constituencies won by either candidate.
Mundubile continues to record strong victories across Luapula, Northern, Muchinga and Eastern provinces.
For example, in Chifunabuli North in Luapula Province, Mundubile secured 11,950 votes against Hichilema’s 4,108, giving him a margin of 7,842 votes.
In Kasama Central, Northern Province, Mundubile polled 20,689 against Hichilema’s 8,179 — a margin of 12,510 votes.
In Kaumbwe, Eastern Province, Mundubile received 9,517 votes against Hichilema’s 2,701, giving him a margin of 6,816.
Mundubile also won Pambashe in Luapula with 9,155 votes against Hichilema’s 3,467, a margin of 5,688 votes.
In Chipata North, Eastern Province, Mundubile polled 16,345 against Hichilema’s 7,172, giving him a margin of 9,173.
He also recorded strong victories in Chipili, Luapula, where he received 9,379 votes against Hichilema’s 5,411, and Chinsali Central in Muchinga, where he secured 15,606 votes against Hichilema’s 3,986.
Other Mundubile victories include Senga Hill in Northern Province, where he polled 14,163 against Hichilema’s 8,341, and Mwenzo in Muchinga Province, where he received 7,604 votes against Hichilema’s 4,947.
The pattern demonstrates Mundubile’s ability to accumulate significant numbers of votes across several constituencies.
But the arithmetic changes dramatically when the results move into Southern Province.
In Sinazongwe, Hichilema recorded 29,098 votes against Mundubile’s 382 — a staggering margin of 28,716 votes.
The difference is even more dramatic in Chikankata, where Hichilema received 38,739 votes while Mundubile managed 475.
That represents a margin of 38,264 votes in favour of Hichilema.
This illustrates the central feature of the emerging presidential contest: several sizeable Mundubile victories can be offset by a single overwhelming Hichilema victory in Southern Province.