ECZ DISMISSES CLAIMS OF PRE-ALLOCATION IN DELIMITATION PROCESS
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has dismissed claims that constituencies were pre-allocated before the delimitation process was concluded, describing such assertions as false and misleading.
ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said the Commission followed a transparent and consultative process, with no province or district assigned a fixed number of constituencies in advance.
Meanwhile, the Commission has officially announced 70 new constituencies ahead of the 2026 General Elections, increasing the total number from 156 to 226.
Mrs. Zaloumis explained that the development follows the enactment of the Constitution Amendment Act Number 13 of 2025, which provided the legal basis for the expansion.
She said the delimitation exercise involved nationwide consultations across all 116 districts, where stakeholders raised key issues such as population growth, geography, accessibility, and community cohesion.
Mrs. Zaloumis described the exercise as the largest constituency expansion in Zambia’s history, aimed at improving representation and bringing leadership closer to the people.
In Eastern Province, nine new constituencies have been created, including Chasefu North and Lumezi South.
She, however, noted that while not all expectations may have been met, the Commission balanced competing interests within constitutional guidelines.
The new constituencies will take effect ahead of the August 2026 General Election.