Breaking: Chitambala Mwewa Declared New Mayor of Lusaka

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has confirmed Chitambala Mwewa as the validly elected Mayor of Lusaka, bringing an end to a protracted counting process that saw the capital city's mayoral race drag on days after the presidential result was declared. Mwewa, who ran under the United Party for National Development (UPND) ticket, polled 200,029 votes to clinch the seat. The declaration came after all ten of Lusaka's constituencies were finally tallied at the Civic Centre, where counting had been ongoing since election day on 13th August. ## A Controversial Road to Victory The Lusaka mayoral race was one of the most closely watched contests of the 2026 general election. While President Hakainde Hichilema's re-election was declared in the early hours of 18th August, the mayoral count continued for another full day, raising questions about what was making the single-seat race so complicated. Mwewa's main rival was Gabriel Isaac Kibombwe of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP), who had been leading in early tallies. At one point, Kibombwe appeared to hold a significant lead, with some reports suggesting a margin of over 69,000 votes from partial counts. However, as more constituencies were verified, Mwewa's numbers surged. The race also drew controversy when allegations emerged that results were being recounted multiple times at the Civic Centre. Supporters of both candidates gathered outside as tensions rose over the delayed announcement. ## From Social Media to City Hall Chitambala Mwewa is widely known in Zambia as a social media personality and content creator through his platform Simon Mwewa Lane Television, which has a massive following on Facebook. His transition from media figure to political leader mirrors a growing trend across Africa of digital influencers entering mainstream politics. His campaign focused on cleaning up Lusaka, improving waste management, and bringing a fresh approach to urban governance. His slogan