🇿🇲 BRIEFING | ECZ Extends Nominations After Candidates Report Lost Voter’s Cards
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has extended the nomination period for aspiring parliamentary and mayoral candidates in a late adjustment that reflects the growing administrative pressures surrounding Zambia’s fast-approaching August 13 general elections.
In a statement issued last evening, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said the commission had revised the nomination timetable after several aspiring candidates reported losing their voter’s cards, documents required during the filing process.
Under the new schedule, nominations for National Assembly candidates, initially set for May 20 only, will now run from May 20 to May 22, 2026. Nominations for mayoral and council chairperson candidates will take place between May 21 and May 22.
Kasaro said the commission had also opened a special replacement exercise for affected candidates. “The decision was made after some candidates reportedly lost their voter’s cards, affecting their ability to participate in the nomination process,” he stated.
The replacement process will run from May 20 to May 23 at the ECZ Head Office in Lusaka.
The extension comes at a politically sensitive moment as parties finalize adoption battles, alliance negotiations, and strategic defections ahead of nominations.
As the election season intensifies, ECZ’s decision is likely aimed at preventing avoidable disqualifications while protecting the integrity and inclusiveness of the nomination process.
© The People’s Brief | Tracey Shumba