TONSE PAMODZI CONDEMNS ECZ SUSPENSION, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF COUNTING
THE Tonse Pamodzi Alliance has condemned the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s decision to suspend the counting and announcement of election results nationwide, describing it as “a dark day for democracy” and demanding an immediate reversal.
ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis announced today that the Commission had suspended results due to incidents of violence and theft of marked ballot papers in some areas. She said the suspension would be reviewed within 24 hours.
But Alliance Chairperson Sakwiba Sikota said ECZ should have isolated affected areas instead of halting the entire process.
“ECZ must withdraw the order of suspending the counting and announcing of results immediately and let us have a peaceful election,” Mr. Sikota said.
He added: “The Commission should have isolated the results of the affected places and disclose the rest.”
Mr. Sikota further alleged that some council secretaries had been engaged to alter figures, and warned Tonse Pamodzi agents to safeguard their signed G20 forms.
“Our message to our agents is to keep those signed G20 forms safe so that we refer to them once they attempt to change figures,” he said.
NRPUP Presidential Spokesperson George Chisanga said the suspension was unprecedented.
“It is unprecedented that the ECZ can suspend elections because of sporadic violence in isolated places. It is sad that the major player who is supposed to protect the constitution of Zambia is the one trying to frustrate the process,” Mr. Chisanga said.
He cited the 2021 elections, when former President Edgar Lungu almost suspended counting after UPND cadres k!lled some PF officials such as Kungo in North Western Province, but reversed the decision following protests by the UPND and a Law Association of Zambia recommendation that suspensions be limited to affected areas.
“Why not do the same by only suspending in areas where violence occurred? Why suspending the counting countrywide? This is extremely awkward,” he said.
Mr. Chisanga accused UPND cadres of perpetrating v!olence in polling stations, including Chawama and Kanyama constituencies, where he said agents were assaulted and hospitalized. He added that no arrests had been made.
He also questioned the deployment of defense force commandos to totaling centres instead of police, observers and party agents.
“We know that the ECZ commissioner had a consultation with the ruling UPND which instructed them to suspend the counting of results after sensing defeat,” Mr. Chisanga alleged.
Both leaders said the election results already showed NRPUP’s Brian Mundubile as the winner.
“The G20 forms in all parts of the country show that Brian Mundubile has won. Even the UPND has the same information,”Mr. Chisanga said.
He urged the alliance to release its official PVT results “to show Zambians the actual figures, unlike the fake one that the UPND is circulating.”
The Law Association of Zambia has also challenged ECZ to explain why violence in some districts led to a nationwide suspension.
Polling closed countrywide earlier today. Counting remains suspended pending ECZ’s review.