Lead

As Zambians prepare for the 2026 general election, the shadow of former president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa on June 5, 2025, hangs over the campaign. Lungu, who led the Patriotic Front (PF) party and served as president from 2015 to 2021, remains a polarizing figure, with his legacy and the circumstances of his burial continuing to shape political dynamics.

Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema, 64, is seeking a second term after defeating Lungu by a landslide in 2021. The rivalry between Hichilema and Lungu, which extended to their families and supporters, has continued even after Lungu's death, as reported by The Guardian. The Zambian government went to court in an attempt to stop Lungu's burial by his family, who sought to avoid a state funeral presided over by Hichilema. In June, South Africa's supreme court of appeal ruled in favor of Lungu's family, overturning a previous high court decision that had favored the government, according to The Guardian.

Coverage comparison

Coverage of the election across the two outlets examined—Deutsche Welle and The Guardian—presents overlapping but distinct emphases. Deutsche Welle focuses on the opposition's struggle to find a new leader following Lungu's death, highlighting the competition among parties to inherit his political legacy. The Guardian, meanwhile, centers its reporting on Hichilema's bid for a second term and the ongoing feud with Lungu's family, using more critical language to describe Hichilema's tactics.

Both outlets report on the Tonse Alliance's endorsement of Brian Mundubile as its 2026 presidential candidate. The Guardian describes Mundubile as a former government chief whip under Lungu, while Deutsche Welle notes that Mundubile and Lungu were PF allies and that Mundubile's running mate, Makebi Zulu, was Lungu's lawyer. Deutsche Welle also reports that the coalition, now rebranded as the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance, faced competing claims over leadership after Lungu's death.

A notable difference in coverage concerns allegations of authoritarian tactics by Hichilema. The Guardian reports that the Tonse Alliance has accused Hichilema's government of raiding its offices and detaining 36 members of Mundubile's team. Deutsche Welle does not mention these specific allegations in the provided material. Conversely, Hichilema's team has denied the claims, citing Lungu's treatment of Hichilema during the last election, noting that Hichilema had been arrested 15 times and that private media outlets faced repression, as reported by The Guardian.

Key claims

  • Edgar Lungu, former president of Zambia, died in South Africa on June 5, 2025. This fact is reported by both Deutsche Welle and The Guardian.
  • Lungu was the leader of the Patriotic Front (PF) party, a faction of which became part of the Tonse Alliance in 2024, according to Deutsche Welle. A single outlet reports this.
  • The Tonse Alliance has endorsed Brian Mundubile as its 2026 presidential candidate. Both outlets report this.
  • Brian Mundubile was a government chief whip under Edgar Lungu, as reported by The Guardian. A single outlet reports this.
  • Hakainde Hichilema is bidding for a second term as president. The Guardian reports this.
  • The Zambian government attempted to stop the burial of Edgar Lungu by his family, and South Africa's supreme court of appeal ruled in favor of the family, allowing them to bury him. The Guardian reports this.
  • The Tonse Alliance has alleged that Hichilema has deployed authoritarian tactics, including raids and detentions. Hichilema's team has denied these allegations. The Guardian reports the allegations and the denial.
  • Zambia's economy has stabilized since an economic crisis in 2020, with annual inflation now at 6.5%. The average annual income rose from $1,127 to $1,318 between 2021 and 2025, but prices almost doubled over the same period. These figures are reported by a single outlet.

Perspectives

Tonse Alliance / Opposition: The Tonse Alliance, led by Brian Mundubile, portrays itself as the heir to Edgar Lungu's political legacy, promising to bring Lungu's body back to Zambia for a dignified burial. The alliance has also accused Hichilema of authoritarian tactics, including raids on its offices and detentions of its members, as reported by The Guardian.

Government / Hichilema's team: Hichilema's team denies allegations of authoritarianism, pointing to Lungu's treatment of Hichilema during the last election, including multiple arrests and media repression. The government also pursued legal action to prevent Lungu's family from burying him privately, a move that was overruled by South Africa's supreme court of appeal, according to The Guardian.