🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Mundubile Tells EU Zambia’s Electoral Environment “Not Free nor Fair”
Tonse Alliance leader and presidential aspirant Brian Mundubile has raised concerns over Zambia’s electoral environment, telling a European Union election monitoring delegation that the current political climate is not conducive for credible polls ahead of the August 13 general elections.
Speaking during a meeting in Lusaka, Mundubile argued that the country’s democratic space has narrowed significantly, warning that the credibility of the electoral process is at risk. His concerns focused heavily on the leadership of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), particularly Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis, whom he described as conflicted due to alleged political associations.
According to Mundubile, “how does one expect Mrs. Zaloumis… to oversee a free and fair election? It’s impossible.”
He further urged the EU team to consult reports from international and local bodies, including the US State Department, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Law Association of Zambia, and the UN Human Rights Commission, which he claims have highlighted concerns about Zambia’s democratic trajectory since 2021.
A central claim in his submission was the restriction of opposition political activity. Mundubile stated that opposition parties have not been allowed to hold public rallies, arguing that this undermines the fairness of the electoral playing field.
“Here I am as an opposition leader… we have never been allowed to hold a public rally. How can anyone claim we are heading into a free and fair election?” he said.
His remarks come amid ongoing legal challenges. Within recent days, Mundubile has faced a cybercrime charge and has also been questioned over alleged irregular payments linked to past transactions.
He suggested that such developments, including the reported confiscation of personal devices, risk affecting his political participation ahead of the elections.
Framing the issue more broadly, Mundubile cautioned that Zambia’s democratic standards are under pressure, stating that elections must be judged not only by voting day but by the entire process leading up to it.
“An election date is not the election… the election is the process,” he told the delegation.
The claims, however, remain those of the opposition, and authorities have not yet formally responded to these specific allegations.
© The People’s Brief | Goran Handya
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