Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development was elected president, defeating incumbent Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front.

[17] On 15 June, the Electoral Commission banned the Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development from campaigning in Lusaka, Mpulungu, Namwala and Nakonde due to political violence.

[27][28] In response to the initial report, Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga promptly issued a statement dismissing the claims as malicious.

Malupenga stressed that the government would invoke relevant legal provisions to maintain law and order and ensure peace and stability during the election period.

[29] On 12 August numerous Twitter users took to the platform to express concerns about the apparent shutdown of popular social media and messaging apps such as Messenger, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp in the country.

[33] Reports surfaced that internet users resorted to using Virtual Private Network (VPN) services as a workaround to bypass the restrictions imposed on WhatsApp and various social media platforms.

Malupenga went on to caution that if any misconduct occurred, the government reserved the right to take legal action to prevent any potential disruption of law and order, particularly during the sensitive election period.

Despite Malupenga's statements, the restrictions on social media platforms persisted, creating a challenging environment for citizens to freely express their views and share information.

The limitations on the platforms added an additional layer of complexity to an already tense election period, sparking concerns about the implications for freedom of speech and information dissemination in the country.