The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has initiated a series of engagements with different political parties to review and address recurring issues that arise during elections in a bid to find a lasting solution to the misunderstanding.
Speaking during a press briefing shortly after the engagement between the commission and the Socialist Party officials in Lusaka , Electoral Commission of Zambia Chief Electoral Officer, Brown Kasaro says it is part of the commission’s stakeholder engagement strategy to address various aspects of the conduct of by- elections with the focus of fostering transparent electoral process.
Mr Kasoro said the issues discussed during the meeting bordered on the code of conduct as it is critical in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
He disclosed that the socialist party was candid in their submission and recognized that the commission’s voice is critical in the electoral process.
“All the deliberations of various aspects in terms of the challenges they face in participating in the electoral process were laid on the table which include violence, issues of non-adherence to campaign timetables, misuse of government resources and other issues and the party did indicate the role that the commission plays in all aspects of the electoral process,” he explained.
The CEO further invited political parties to share their experiences and suggestions on how to improve the electoral process.
And ECZ Chairperson, Mwangala Zaloumis expressed the commission’s willingness to work with political parties to implement measures that will prevent electoral disputes from arising in the future.
Ms Zaloumis said some of the measures include strengthening the Electoral Commission’s dispute resolution mechanism, improving voter education and awareness, and increasing transparency in the electoral process.
She further urged all interested parties including citizens to desist from engaging in violence but instead resolve their differences amicably.
She has since thanked the Socialist party for engaging with the commission.Socialist Party Secretary General, Cosmas Musumali said the party engaged ECZ because they had some grievances that could only be resolved by the commission.
Dr Musumali advised all stakeholders in the political sector to continue discussing and addressing the political issues before the 2026 general elections.
He assured the commission of the party’s continued dialogue and engagement as there are many issues that needed to be addressed in the political arena.