4 Hichilema ministers lose parliamentary seats in Zambia election

Four senior ministers in President Hakainde Hichilema's government have lost their parliamentary seats as results from Zambia's 2026 elections continue to emerge, with three of the defeats coming from the politically influential Copperbelt Province.

Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe lost the Chililabombwe seat, while Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali was defeated in Ndola Central.

Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Chipoka Mulenga also lost his Chingola constituency, completing a major setback for the governing United Party for National Development (UPND) on the Copperbelt.

The fourth Cabinet casualty was the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Lusaka Province, who also lost her parliamentary seat.

The defeats are significant for the Hichilema administration, particularly because of the concentration of losses on the Copperbelt, the centre of Zambia's mining industry and one of the country's most politically important regions.

Kabuswe represented Chililabombwe, Tayali represented Ndola Central and Mulenga represented Chingola in the outgoing Parliament.

The Copperbelt is central to Zambia's economy, with the country ranking as Africa's second-largest copper producer. The mining sector is also one of the biggest sources of foreign exchange and government revenue.

The parliamentary defeats come against the backdrop of public debate over the extent to which increased mining investment and improvements in macroeconomic conditions have translated into better living standards for ordinary Zambians.

The loss of three Cabinet ministers in the province could therefore provide an important indication of voter sentiment towards the UPND government in a region that has traditionally carried considerable political weight.

The results are still emerging, however, and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has suspended the counting and announcement of election results nationwide following reports of violence at several centres.

The ECZ said polling staff had been targeted during the counting and announcement process, with some incidents allegedly involving the theft of marked ballot papers from ballot boxes.

The Commission invoked Section 67(3) of the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 and said the suspension would be reviewed within 24 hours.

The nationwide halt means the emerging parliamentary results, including the defeats of the four ministers, remain part of an evolving electoral picture as the country awaits the resumption of the official counting and announcement process.

The performance of the UPND on the Copperbelt will be closely watched as the final parliamentary balance takes shape and the party assesses the extent of voter support for Hichilema's administration.