🇿🇲 BRIEFING | ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis Defends Campaign Timetable, Says Goal is Order — Not Restrictions The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has defended its decision to introduce a national presidential campaign timetable, with Chairperson Mrs. Mwangala Zaloumis, SC, insisting that the move is intended to safeguard order, fairness and credibility in the electoral […]

🇿🇲 BRIEFING | ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis Defends Campaign Timetable, Says Goal is Order — Not Restrictions

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has defended its decision to introduce a national presidential campaign timetable, with Chairperson Mrs. Mwangala Zaloumis, SC, insisting that the move is intended to safeguard order, fairness and credibility in the electoral process rather than restrict political competition.

Speaking during a meeting with presidential candidates and electoral stakeholders in Lusaka on Monday, Zaloumis said the Commission’s recent advisory was prompted by growing concerns over overlapping campaign activities in different provinces and districts, a situation she warned could create operational difficulties and unnecessary political tensions.

“The Commission’s primary responsibility is to ensure that elections are conducted in a manner that is transparent, fair, peaceful and credible. It is from this standpoint, and from no other consideration, that the advisory was issued,” Zaloumis told candidates.

Her remarks came amid mounting criticism from sections of the opposition, particularly the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance, which had accused the Commission of attempting to curtail campaign activities through its advisory on presidential movements and rallies.

Seeking to reassure stakeholders, Zaloumis stressed that the Commission had not abandoned earlier constituency campaign arrangements and was not seeking to limit constitutional freedoms.

“The Commission has not abandoned the principles that guided the earlier scheduling arrangements. Neither has it sought to restrict legitimate political competition or limit the constitutional rights of candidates and political parties to campaign,” she said

Instead, she argued that the objective was to create a framework that allows candidates to campaign freely while reducing avoidable clashes, logistical complications and tensions that may arise when multiple high-profile campaign events are scheduled in the same locations

“Our objective remains the same: to facilitate an environment in which all candidates can campaign freely, safely and fairly, while reducing avoidable clashes, logistical challenges and tensions,” Zaloumis said.

The ECZ Chairperson further emphasized that the proposed presidential campaign timetable would complement rather than replace existing schedules for parliamentary, mayoral, council chairperson and local government elections.

“The Presidential Campaign Timetable that we seek to develop today is therefore not a departure from previous efforts. It is an enhancement of those efforts at the national level,” she said.

Addressing concerns about impartiality, Zaloumis reiterated that the Commission remains committed to treating all candidates equally.

“The Commission remains impartial and committed to treating all candidates equally. Any framework that emerges from our deliberations today will be guided by the principles of fairness, transparency, equity and practicality,” she said.

Zaloumis also reminded political parties that ballot paper printing is scheduled to begin on June 30 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and invited all candidates and parties to designate representatives to witness the process as part of transparency measures.

As Zambia moves deeper into campaign season ahead of the August 13 general election, the debate over campaign scheduling has become one of the first major tests of trust between the electoral body and competing political camps. Monday’s engagement signaled ECZ’s attempt to build consensus around a framework that balances political freedoms with orderly election management.

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