🇿🇲 EVENING WIRE | Chawama Votes, Calm Holds as Counting Begins
Voting has closed peacefully in the Chawama parliamentary by-election, capping a day marked by order, heavy security presence, and competing narratives over credibility and turnout.
All 111 polling stations opened around 06:00 hours and closed on schedule, with early morning queues giving way to slower mid-day traffic before activity picked up again in the afternoon. Election officials and observers reported no incidents of violence, disruption, or intimidation across the constituency.
Electoral Commission of Zambia chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis, who toured several polling stations, described the process as “free, peaceful and orderly,” praising both voter conduct and the work of polling staff. By mid-day, ECZ said more than 150 voters on average had cast ballots across polling centers, a figure the Commission said reflected steady participation rather than apathy.
The ballot featured a crowded field, including Morgan Muunda of the United Party for National Development, Bright Nundwe of the Forum for Democracy and Development, Davison Mulenga of Citizens First, Musukuma Ntazana of the Leadership Movement, Mohammad Mutete of the New Congress Party, James Phiri of the National Democratic Congress, alongside three independents.
While the field has been broad, the contest is widely viewed on the ground as a tight race shaped more by local sentiment and political symbolism than ideology.
As voting progressed, the ECZ moved to counter online claims of “midnight voting” and pre-poll manipulation. Zaloumis warned against election misinformation, urging the media and political actors to report responsibly.
An observer from the Exodus Party for Peace and Prosperity confirmed that voting began at 06:00 hours, dismissing social media speculation that ballots had been cast overnight.
Some residents raised concerns about eligibility, particularly among voters who recently transferred polling stations. The ECZ clarified that the by-election is being conducted using the 2021 voters’ register, meaning newly registered voters will only participate in the 2026 general elections.
Despite the calm on the ground, the political temperature has remained high online. PF figures including Miles Sampa, Ichabaiche Movement leader Binwell Mpundu, and sections of opposition-aligned media have continued to push rigging allegations through the day, claims the ECZ firmly rejects
With ballot boxes sealed and counting underway, attention now shifts to the tally centers.
Results are expected by midnight or in the early hours of Friday, setting the stage for what could be a decisive moment in Chawama’s post-Lungu political chapter and an early test of trust ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu