ECZ urges candidates to wait patiently as Zambia begins compiling election results
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has urged candidates participating in the general elections to remain patient as votes are counted and results are compiled, with the first official results expected to be announced at the National Results Centre in Lusaka.
Lusaka, 14 August – ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said the commission would continue providing updates as results move through the various stages of verification and consolidation.
He also warned voters against photographing or publicly sharing marked ballot papers, saying such conduct was an offence under Zambia’s electoral law.
Speaking on ZNBC TV1 News on Thursday, Mr Kasaro explained that votes would first be counted at individual polling stations before being taken to constituency totaling centres.
He said the counting process would take between four and six hours because four separate elections were being conducted – presidential, mayoral, National Assembly and councillor elections.
“After the polling stations close, they’ll transition into counting centres. So, all votes will be counted in the respective polling stations,” Mr Kasaro said.
He explained that once counting was completed, results would be transported to constituency centres in the country’s 226 constituencies, where they would be consolidated before being transmitted to the National Results Centre.
“It’s only when they arrive at the constituency centres and they begin to consolidate or total up those results that we begin to get activity at the National Results Centre,” he said.
Mr Kasaro said the commission expected the announcement of results to begin on Friday, urging candidates and their supporters to allow the electoral process to take its course.
“The voters have spoken and they have voted peacefully, so let every participating candidate wait patiently as the Commission totals up the votes and begins to announce and declare the winning candidates at all the levels,” he said.
He stressed that the ECZ was the institution legally mandated to announce the final election results.
Delays reported at some polling stations
The ECZ also reported isolated delays and logistical challenges at a number of polling stations across the country.
Giving an election update at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Mr Kasaro said most polling stations had opened at about 06:00, although some experienced delays.
One of the most significant delays was recorded at Chisangamponde polling station in Mpanda Constituency, Mungwi District, Northern Province, where voting only began at about 15:00 because of logistical challenges.
In Central Province, some polling stations in Kapiri Mposhi opened at around 10:30, while one station in Katuba began voting after 09:00 because of logistical difficulties.
In Eastern Province, voting generally began as scheduled, although Mpambanda polling station in Chama North Constituency opened at about 08:40.
Luapula Province also experienced several incidents. At Kabwitila polling station in Samfya District, voting was delayed following a disruption involving a voter who appeared to have a mental health challenge.
At Mukulo polling station, also in Samfya, voting was suspended for about two hours following a disagreement among stakeholders over assistance provided to a voter. Police were called to restore order and voting resumed at about 15:00.
The commission also reported disagreements over ballot papers at polling stations in Mambilima Constituency in Mwense District. A verification exercise involving representatives of political parties found no evidence to support the concerns, allowing voting to continue.
In Lusaka Province, most stations opened on time, although voting at Ng’ombe polling station in Roma Constituency started at about 09:00 because of delays in putting up a temporary shelter.
A delivery truck also caused concern among some voters at the station, but police intervened and voting continued without further disruption.
Muchinga Province recorded delays at eight polling stations in Chilinda Constituency, Chinsali District, due to transport and other logistical problems. One of the affected stations only opened at about 12:00.
In Lavushimanda District, voting at Chibali polling station began at about 10:00.
Northern Province also recorded several delayed openings. Voting started at about 07:45 at Kalumba polling station, while St Mary’s polling station in Mbala Constituency opened at about 07:30.
At Chinyimba Community polling station in Lukashya Constituency, voting began at about 10:30.
In Southern Province, Mfinshinka polling station in Monze District opened at about 07:30.
Western Province recorded delays at Mpofu and Lilyati polling stations in Nalolo District, where voting began at approximately 10:00 and 14:00 respectively. The ECZ attributed the delays to difficult terrain and other logistical challenges.
The commission said polling stations in Copperbelt and North-Western provinces generally opened as scheduled.
Late-opening stations given extra time
Mr Kasaro assured voters that the delays would not result in them losing their opportunity to vote.
He said the ECZ had extended voting hours at stations that opened late to ensure voters received the full 12-hour voting period.
He added that anyone still in a queue when a polling station officially closed would be allowed to cast their ballot.
“As at 15:00 hours all polling stations were open and operational, all incidents or operational issues have been addressed,” he said.
The ECZ said it was also concerned about an increase in the circulation of photographs of marked ballot papers on social media.
Mr Kasaro warned voters to stop photographing their completed ballots, citing Section 91(1) of the Electoral Process Act, which makes it an offence for a voter or any other person to publicly communicate how they voted.
He said the commission would work with law enforcement agencies to prosecute anyone found violating the provision.
-Nkanionline 2026 #NewsOnDemand