Makebi alleges election irregularities, demands process reconciliation
NATIONAL Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) running mate Makebi Zulu claims there are irregularities in the ongoing presidential election tallying process.
He has therefore called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to immediately halt the announcement of results and perform a polling station by polling station reconciliation using original Gen-20 forms.
Speaking through a live feed online, Zulu claimed that he had gathered reports from across the country which have revealed to him that there is a systemic effort to compromise the integrity of the presidential vote through security agency interference, missing result forms, and intimidation of electoral officers.
He said the opposition NRPUP and their alliance partners have documented significant procedural irregularities in several constituencies across Lusaka, Central, and Copperbelt provinces, specifically pointing Matero, Kalulushi, Bwanamkubwa, Chawama, Kabwata, and Kanyama.
“An election is not free merely because citizens were permitted to cast ballots. The process must remain free and fair through voting, counting, tallying, verification, and final declaration,” Zulu said.
Zulu raised concerns over missing and stolen Gen-20 forms, which are the official primary documents used for aggregating and declaring election results, and demanded that ECZ establish a clear chain of custody for all original results sheets.
“When an agent identifies a discrepancy between figures being presented by ECZ and the Gen 20 forms in that agent’s possession, prudence requires that the process pause, the relevant documentation be examined, and the discrepancy reconciled before proceeding,” Zulu stated.
He further alleged that the voter turnout in Southern Province were inflated, demanding that ECZ publish polling station data to allow independent reconciliation.
Addressing the national tallying process at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, the running mate accused ECZ officials of threatening accredited political party agents with the revocation of their accreditation when they raise objections or request document verification.
“Accreditation cannot simultaneously be permission to participate and a weapon with which to silence participation. An agent who asks a legitimate question is not disrupting the process,” he said.
“Do not rush disputed results. Reconcile them. Do not demand blind acceptance. Produce the documentary record.”
Zulu also condemned the alleged detention of their key alliance members, lawyers, and political actors, including UNIP President Bishop Trevor Mwamba and lawyer George Chisanga, demanding that law enforcement agencies disclose their whereabouts and grant them immediate access to legal counsel and family members.
He urged domestic and international election observers, civil society organisations, the Church, and diplomatic missions to assess the verification environment, while calling on citizens to remain peaceful, document irregularities, and reject violence.
Kalemba August 16, 2026