President William Ruto has travelled to Zambia to attend the inauguration of President Hakainde Hichilema, as the Zambian leader begins a second term following a decisive but politically contested election.
Ruto departed Kenya on Tuesday, September 1, for the ceremony at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, where Hichilema is due to take the oath of office.
Hichilema won the August 13 presidential election with 2,965,326 votes, against 1,856,217 for his closest challenger, Brian Mundubile. The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared him the winner on August 18 after he crossed the constitutional threshold required for an outright victory.
The Zambian government says the seven-day period for filing a presidential election petition expired without a petition being lodged, allowing the inauguration to proceed on September 1.
Kenya-Zambia ties in focus
Ruto's attendance underlines Nairobi's interest in maintaining close relations with Lusaka.
Following Hichilema's re-election, Ruto congratulated him and said Kenya valued its longstanding relationship with Zambia.
The two countries cooperate in areas including trade, investment and regional diplomacy. Ruto has also linked Hichilema's renewed mandate to continued cooperation between Kenya and Zambia.
Hichilema, who first took office in 2021, is entering his second five-year term. His first term focused heavily on Zambia's debt restructuring, economic stabilisation, mining and social programmes, including free secondary education.
Opposition tensions cast shadow
The inauguration comes against a backdrop of renewed tensions between the Zambian government and the opposition.
Mundubile, who finished second, rejected the election outcome and raised allegations of irregularities. His concerns have been followed by a serious legal confrontation with authorities.
Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, have been detained and formally charged with treason, according to Mundubile's lawyer. Police have linked the case to allegations of activities that posed a national security threat. The authorities have not publicly disclosed all details of the alleged offence.
Mundubile has rejected the allegations, describing the accusations as fabricated. His detention has added to concerns from opposition figures and rights groups over political space in Zambia.
The inauguration therefore marks both the formal beginning of Hichilema's second term and a critical moment for Zambia's democratic institutions.
For Kenya, Ruto's presence sends a clear diplomatic message: Nairobi intends to keep its relationship with Lusaka strong as Hichilema begins another five years in office.
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Category: News · Related Topic: William Ruto
About the Author
Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.
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