Zambia has opened polls in a presidential election that will determine whether President Hakainde Hichilema secures a second term as voters weigh economic reform against persistent pressure on household finances. Voting began at 6am (04:00 GMT) on Thursday and is due to end 12 hours later, with 8.7 million people registered to vote. The contest is centered on the economy. Inflation fell to 6.8 percent in April and the kwacha has strengthened, but many Zambians still face high food and energy costs, while unemployment is about 10 percent. More than 70 percent of the country’s 22 million people live on less than $3 a day, World Bank data show, underscoring the political sensitivity of the cost-of-living issue. Hichilema, 64, won the 2021 election on his sixth attempt and is campaigning on job creation and a large infrastructure push as he seeks a final five-year term. His main rival is Brian Mundubile, 55, a former minister in the Patriotic Front (PF) government that ruled from 2011 to 2021. Running under the newly formed NRPUP party and backed by an alliance of opposition parties, Mundubile entered the race in May, adding uncertainty to a contest that had appeared to favor the incumbent. The vote also comes amid scrutiny of Zambia’s democratic climate. The country has long been seen as one of Africa’s more stable democracies, but Hichilema’s government has faced concerns that it has narrowed space for dissent even as it promises a stronger recovery. Mundubile told AFP on Wednesday that restrictions had tightened on his party’s campaign and that he did not view the election as free and fair. Voters are also choosing candidates for 226 parliament seats, up from 156. Results in the presidential race are expected by August 17, and the winner must secure more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off.