PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UN Does Not Have an Electoral Observation Mandate in Zambia
Lusaka, 14 August 2026 – The United Nations (UN) in Zambia has noted with concern false and misleading information circulating on social media alleging that UN observers had congratulated a presidential candidate following the elections held in Zambia on 13 August 2026.
The UN wishes to clarify that it has no electoral observation mandate in Zambia and has not deployed any election observers for the 13 August 2026 elections. Consequently, any claims suggesting that the UN or its representatives have endorsed, congratulated, or commented on any candidate or electoral outcome are false and misleading.
“The United Nations does not observe national electoral processes unless mandated by the General Assembly or the Security Council. While the UN supports Member States in strengthening democratic institutions and encourages compliance with international obligations and commitments, it does not pronounce itself on the validity of an electoral process or the legitimacy of electoral outcomes,” said Ms. Beatrice Mutali, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Zambia.
The UN strongly condemns the inappropriate and unlawful use of UN emblems and urges the public and media institutions to verify information through official UN communication channels and to refrain from sharing unverified content that may contribute to misinformation and disinformation.
The UN also stresses the importance of dialogue to defuse tensions and calls on political leaders to adhere to the political parties peace pledge and their supporters to reject any form of violence while awaiting the announcement of results.
For more information, please contact:
UN Resident Coordinator Office in Zambia, E: rcs-unzambia@un.org
