INSULTS DO NOT WORRY US, SAYS ECZ CHAIRPERSON
Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis says criticism and insults directed at the commission by some members of the public do not worry the electoral body as it prepares for the 2026 General Election.
Speaking shortly after attending Mass at St John’s Catholic Evangelist Parish in Kasama, Ms. Zaloumis said criticism would always exist in a democratic society but stressed that the commission remained focused on carrying out its mandate for the benefit of the Zambian people.
She said the ECZ would not be distracted by negative remarks, stating that the commission’s priority was to ensure that it continued doing what was right for the country as preparations for the 2026 polls intensified.
Ms. Zaloumis also urged members of the public to pray for leaders instead of fighting them, noting that such support was important in helping leaders provide effective leadership.
“Criticism will always be there, but our focus is on doing what is right for the Zambian people,” she said.
Meanwhile, Parish Chairperson Evans Kambole expressed gratitude that the ECZ Chairperson had attended Mass with the congregation, describing the visit as encouraging for the church community.
Earlier, Ms. Zaloumis revealed that her visits to six provinces so far, as the commission continues receiving provincial delimitation reports, had shown that many stakeholders were requesting more constituencies than the 70 provided for in the Constitution.
She explained that the commission had received numerous submissions from members of the public seeking additional constituencies beyond the constitutional limit.
Ms. Zaloumis is currently in Kasama for the Provincial Delimitation sittings scheduled for March 16, 2026, as part of the commission’s ongoing nationwide consultations on constituency boundaries ahead of the next general election.