Zambian incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema and his ruling UPND party are seeking another five-year term, when Zambians go to the polls on Thursday.
They cited progress in economic stability, debt restructuring, falling inflation and renewed investment, particularly in copper, as reasons for re-election.
But for many voters, the real test is whether those improvements are being felt in their daily lives.
"Among the things that people are still crying about is that the cost of living has not really gone down," said Bizeck Phiri, professor of history of the University of Zambia.
Hichilema's main challenger is Brian Mundubile, backed by the Tonse Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties which has gained political momentum in recent weeks.
Some analysts, however, say the grouping is fragmented at the grassroots level.
"There is still a lot of infighting among themselves, although they have tried to portray this unity. But when you look on the ground below, they don't have a lot of support. And this is why I'm sure you've heard that in some constituencies, the party in power, UPND, have candidates that are unopposed," Phiri said.
Young people, who make up a major bloc among Zambia's more than eight million registered voters, are looking for leaders that can deliver their promises, with issues like economy and employment being their primary concerns.
"We're expecting more jobs. We're expecting more opportunities to actually gain capital for our businesses, because as a youth, I have a lot of business ideas. It's just that I'm pushed back by the income and the funding," said Mweenze Tembo, a university student.
Incumbent Zambian President Hichilema seeks re-election in Thursday polls
