Preliminary Statement: African Union and The Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa Election Observation Mission To The 13th August 2026 General Election in The Republic of Zambia, Lusaka, 15 August 2026
Conclusion
Overall, the Mission commends the people of Zambia for exercising their democratic right.
The Mission urges all stakeholders to remain calm, exercise restraint, refrain from acts or statements that could heighten tensions, allow the ECZ to complete the counting and verification, announce the results, and use established legal and institutional mechanisms to resolve any electoral disputes peacefully.
Recommendations
With the electoral process still ongoing, the AU-COMESA EOM offers the following preliminary recommendations:
The Government of Zambia
Ensure an enabling environment prevails during elections by urgently undertaking measures to address underlying causes of tension and politically motivated violence that limit constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and rights.
The Legislature
Ensure that electoral and constitutional reforms are undertaken through broad-based consultations and that electoral legislation is enacted sufficiently in advance of elections, to allow adequate implementation, stakeholder preparation and civic and voter education.
The AUEOM reiterate its 2016 and 2021 recommendations on the need to enact enabling legislation to give effect to constitutional provisions for political party funding and campaign finance accountability.
Review the application of the Public Order Act and other legislation affecting civic and political rights to ensure that they are implemented consistently with the Constitution and Zambia’s regional and international obligations on the freedoms of assembly, association and expression.
Develop a clear legal framework governing constituency delimitation, including objective criteria, population quotas with permissible variances, and statutory timelines for publication and public consultation.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia
Increase the number of polling stations to accommodate the growing electorate, to improve accessibility and reduce congestion
Increase the number of polling booths to a minimum of three in line with the number of registered voters and consider the use of more efficient voter-verification mechanisms to reduce delays and congestion.
Consider using a single voter verification document to speed up voter processing at the polling station.
Conduct post-election evaluation to assess the conduct of the 2026 general election
To establish what worked and what did not work as planned to determine the way forward for the next election cycle.
Increase partnerships with other stakeholders to provide targeted voter education to enhance youth participation in the electoral process
ECZ should consider adopting Biometric Voter identification system to reduce the slow voting process.
Political Parties
Strengthen internal party democracy by ensuring transparent, competitive and inclusive candidate selection processes.
Refrain from inflammatory rhetoric, political violence and intimidation, and promote issue-based campaigns that foster peaceful political competition.
Channel electoral-related disputes through appropriate mechanisms provided by the law.
Civil Society Organisations
Continue civic and voter education initiatives, particularly targeting women, youth, first-time voters and persons with disabilities.
Continue engaging with state institutions and political actors to promote accountability, inclusion and democratic reforms drawn from recommendations from domestic observers and monitors and election observation missions.
The Media
Adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct and ensure balanced, accurate, impartial, and equitable coverage of all political contestants throughout the electoral cycle.
The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation should provide equitable airtime and coverage to all candidates in accordance with Article 50 of the Constitution, which guarantees fair access to publicly owned media during elections, and in line with regional and international standards requiring balanced and impartial media coverage to ensure a level electoral playing field.
-END-
promote issue-based campaigns that foster peaceful political competition.
Channel electoral-related disputes through appropriate mechanisms provided by the law.
Civil Society Organisations
Continue civic and voter education initiatives, particularly targeting women, youth, first-time voters and persons with disabilities.
Continue engaging with state institutions and political actors to promote accountability, inclusion and democratic reforms drawn from recommendations from domestic observers and monitors and election observation missions.
The Media
Adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct and ensure balanced, accurate, impartial, and equitable coverage of all political contestants throughout the electoral cycle.
The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation should provide equitable airtime and coverage to all candidates in accordance with Article 50 of the Constitution, which guarantees fair access to publicly owned media during elections, and in line with regional and international standards requiring balanced and impartial media coverage to ensure a level electoral playing field.
-END-