Zambians vote in high-stakes election

Zambians went to the polls on Thursday in an election that will decide whether President Hakainde Hichilema gets a second term amid economic hardship and high living costs.

Hichilema, a businessman-turned-politician, faces 13 challengers, with opposition leader Brian Mundubile as his main rival.

The vote is seen as a referendum on Hichilema's reform agenda, which has struggled to lift the copper-rich nation out of debt.

Polling stations reported peaceful but tense atmospheres.