Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been declared the winner of the country’s Presidential election and is set to be 7th President of the Republic of Zambia.

The announcement was made in the wee hours of Monday morning in Lusaka.

Election observers from the African Union described the elections as credible and fair.

Since 2006, incoming President Hakainde Hichilema, a businessman and opposition politician who has led the United Party for National Development (UPND) political party.

Five Presidential candidates earlier wrote President Edgar Lungu and urged him to concede defeat saying, “…The People of Zambia have spoken and the courts of Law should not be used in any way to circumvent the wishes and aspirations of the People. 

We trust you will act with humility and submit to the wishes of the People by conceding defeat and allowing for the succession process to start without any further delay…”

President Lungu had termed the vote as not free and unfair. But the US strongly warned against any attempt to tamper with the results or instigate violence.

By late Sunday with 62 constituencies reporting, opposition leader Hichilema had garnered over a million votes.

Earlier, a video circulating on social media alleges that a vehicle stopped by bystanders was carrying pre- marked ballots for outgoing President Lungu.

Who is Hakainde Hichilema?

Mr Hichilema was born on June 4, 1962  into humble beginnings in the southern district of Monze.

He managed to get a scholarship to the University of Zambia, and later graduated with an MBA degree from the University of Birmingham in the UK. He went on to become one of Zambia’s richest men, with business interests in finance, ranching, property, healthcare and tourism.

Mr. Hichilema has described himself as an ordinary “cattle boy” and has contested and lost every election held in Zambia since 2006. However, each time he has increased his share of the vote.

In 2016, Mr Hichilema said the election was stolen from him after he lost to Mr Lungu by just 100,000 votes.