ECZ asks court to dismiss Masebo petition against Chongwe East MP

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia has asked the Lusaka High Court to dismiss a petition by former Lands and Natural Resources Minister Sylvia Masebo challenging the election of Anita Kamanga as Chongwe East member of parliament. The commission said the Aug. 15, 2026 election was free and fair and that Kamanga, an independent, was duly

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THE Electoral Commission of Zambia has asked the Lusaka High Court to dismiss a petition by former Lands and Natural Resources Minister Sylvia Masebo challenging the election of Anita Kamanga as Chongwe East member of parliament.

The commission said the Aug. 15, 2026 election was free and fair and that Kamanga, an independent, was duly elected with 16,058 votes. Masebo, who stood on the UPND ticket, received 6,798 votes, according to ECZ.

“The elections were free and fair and the first respondent was and is the duly elected MP for Chongwe East Constituency,” the commission said in its response.

Masebo alleges that Kamanga’s campaign violated the Electoral Process Act and its Code of Conduct, and that the poll was marred by electoral malpractice and violence.

ECZ denied the allegations of malpractice, including violence, intimidation, threats and harassment. It said the claims were within Masebo’s “peculiar knowledge” and must be strictly proved.

In her own response, Kamanga denied the allegations. She said neither she nor her agents committed, authorized or permitted violence, intimidation, threats or harassment against Masebo or her supporters.

Kamanga also dismissed as “vague and fabricated” allegations of bribery and vote buying. She denied distributing gifts to induce voters, saying she had for more than five years before the 2026 election participated in charitable and community welfare work through an NGO and with well-wishers.

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