President Hakainde Hichilema has thanked United Nations member states for electing Zambia to the UN Human Rights Council, securing the highest number of votes among all candidates in this year’s election.
Zambia received 177 votes out of 181 valid ballots cast during the UN General Assembly election on October 13, 2026, in a strong endorsement of the country’s bid for membership.
President Hichilema says the vote of confidence comes with a responsibility to strengthen human rights protection in Zambia and ensure that the country effectively represents Africa and the developing world at the international level.
He says Zambia’s membership will be measured by the experiences of its citizens at home and how faithfully the country advocates for human rights in Geneva, Switzerland, where the Council is based.
Zambia returns to the Human Rights Council for the first time since 2011, having been a founding member in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 under the late President Levy Mwanawasa.
The President says Zambia will use its three-year term, which begins on January 1, 2027, to champion the rights of women, children and vulnerable groups, advance the right to development, and promote consensus within the Council.
He says the country will also seek to bring the Council closer to ordinary citizens while strengthening the voice of developing nations in global human rights discussions.
President Hichilema has cited several reforms as part of Zambia’s human rights record, including the abolition of the death penalty, the repeal of the offence of defaming the President, the enactment of the Access to Information Act, and engagement with the Council’s independent experts.
He has also thanked Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mulambo Haimbe, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr Chola Milambo, and the entire team that spearheaded the campaign.
Zambia’s election comes two months after the country held its general elections, which the statement describes as a peaceful renewal of its democratic mandate.
By Mulenga Chipampe Makasa
