BRIEFING | Southern Province Exceeds Voter Registration Target, Triggering Political Debate
Southern Province has become the first region to surpass its voter registration target in the ongoing mass registration exercise, recording more than 420,000 newly registered voters following the 15 day extension announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
Provincial Minister Credo Nanjuwa confirmed the figures during a meeting with the National Council of Student Unions in Livingstone, describing the turnout as “a strong expression of civic responsibility.”
He said the province had “gone beyond expectations” and called the high participation “a sign of democratic maturity across districts.”
National Council of Student Unions Chairperson Michelo Chizombe welcomed the surge, particularly the strong presence of young registrants.
“We are encouraged by the enthusiasm of young people. They are not sitting on the sidelines. They want to shape the future of this country,” he said, urging universities, colleges and skills centres to continue mobilising first time voters.
But the political reaction online has been swift. Opposition supporters have accused authorities of “paying disproportionate attention” to Southern Province because it is considered the ruling UPND’s traditional stronghold.
Some netizens argued that the registration surge reflects “a system designed to consolidate safe zones,” while urban districts with competitive political dynamics “struggle with logistics, slow queues and limited equipment.”
UPND supporters have rejected that claim, saying the extension of the registration period was uniform nationwide and that the turnout in Southern Province reflects local mobilisation efforts rather than administrative bias.
ECZ has not released provincial comparative data, but officials say final numbers will be published once the exercise closes.
The sharp reactions underlines the political sensitivity surrounding the voter roll as Zambia approaches the 2026 elections.
Turnout patterns have long been interpreted through partisan lenses, especially in strongholds where registration spikes can significantly alter national electoral arithmetic.
While the ruling party views the numbers as a sign of civic engagement, the opposition insists the distribution of registration resources remains uneven and requires external scrutiny.
Civil society groups have urged ECZ to publish district by district statistics to reduce speculation and build trust in the process.
For now, Southern Province stands out as the first region to cross its target, setting the tone for what analysts say will be one of the most closely examined voter registration cycles in years.
© The People’s Brief | Francine Lilu
Isn’t the population of the entire province less that those registered to vote? So all those votes will go to one person? Tribalism is thriving in Zambia for sure.
I can see a situation where the ECZ will announce that someone has won with 98 percent of votes.
REJECT TRIBALISM, CORRUPTION AND OPPRESSION.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
Indigo Tyrol has nothing else to talk about. His boss is rotting in SA and must be stinking now.
My baboon’s are better thinkers than chikala indigo.
If you have balls meet me at Manda Hills
There is no issue to worry about here, the people of Southern Province are registering just like anyone in other 9 provinces. Instead of making noise and wasting your time here, the registration is still on going, just encourage the people in other 9 provinces to register in numbers before the registration window closes in two days’ time 26/11/25. There will be no further extension I hear.
It is the reason we beat PF in 2021. Dont be surprised. Southern Province votes crazily in support of HH. The trick is we go enmass to get nrcs, we go enmass to get voter cards, and we go enmass to vote. PF violence and segregatiom against especially pipo of SP has taught us a lesson. We have created unity of purpose politically which revolves about our numbers. Funeral or sickness we get the necessary cards and go to vote. Only way for our survival. And message to opposition led by PF and PF offshoots; mulimbe to ever again get the Southern vote. You treated us so badly. Even HH and beyond, mukose to remove him. There is no purpose for voting for pipo who dont count you when in power
There is information filtering through that in Southern Province citizens who will turn 18 yrs in April are being registered. But this is not the case in other Provinces.
Njuwa is actually misinforming the nation. That number of 420,000 is not from ECZ. ECZ still has to announce the grand total of the newly registered, province by province. Otherwise, Southern Province still stands at 143, 397 newly registered voters.