Zambians head to the polls this week in national elections that will test a country that’s garnered a reputation as one of southern Africa’s most stable democracies. Since Zambia returned to multiparty elections in 1991, it has had six different presidents from three different parties. President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking reelection after presiding over Zambia’s rapid economic growth. But critics say that growth hasn't translated into better living standards, and human rights experts say he's shown increasingly authoritarian tendencies when it comes to political dissent and the media.
Hard Numbers
Zambia’s elections put its democratic reputation to the test
Will Fitzpatrick
By Will FitzpatrickAugust 11, 2026
Will Fitzpatrick
Will Fitzpatrick is a multimedia reporter and producer at GZERO, where he does a little bit of everything: writing for the GZERO Daily, creating social videos, producing GZERO World, and whatever else the news cycle throws his way.
Before GZERO, Will worked in documentary film on both the production and post-production sides, including on Everest: The Other Side and on The First Wave. He has also directed and produced two short documentaries of his own. Outside the film world, Will has worked as a freelance journalist, with reporting that has taken him from the dhow workshops of Oman to the mountains of Patagonia, with plenty of stops in between. He’s especially interested in the niche, hard-to-reach, and underreported stories that reveal something bigger about how the world works.
Will studied economics and world politics at Hamilton College and received his Master’s in journalism from New York University. When he's not reporting, you can likely find Will tending to his oyster farm, on a bike, or somewhere outdoors.
