ECZ PUSHES BACK ON FRANK TAYALI’S PETITION…as they set the record straight before court that Ndola Central poll was free and fair

ECZ PUSHES BACK ON TAYALI’S PETITION ……as they set the record straight before court that Ndola Central poll was free and fair. The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has pushed back against former Minister and UPND candidate Frank Museba Tayali’s petition challenging the election of Resolute Party candidate Emmanuel Mulenga as Ndola Central MP. Hon. […]

ECZ PUSHES BACK ON TAYALI’S PETITION

……as they set the record straight before court that Ndola Central poll was free and fair.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has pushed back against former Minister and UPND candidate Frank Museba Tayali’s petition challenging the election of Resolute Party candidate Emmanuel Mulenga as Ndola Central MP.

Hon. Mulenga was declared winner with 11,659 votes, against Tayali’s 10,840.

In his petition, Hon. Tayali alleges that Hon. Mulenga, his agents and cadres engaged in illegal practices, misconduct, intimidation and violence, including allegedly interfering with voters’ freedom to exercise their right to vote.

According to sources, the ECZ has disputed the claims, stating that no electoral malpractice, violence or assault was reported to the Commission or its Returning Officer in Ndola Central on polling day, during counting or during the declaration of results

The Commission maintains that voters were able to cast their ballots freely and that results from polling stations were properly transmitted to the Totalling Centre, verified and subsequently announced.

It has also clarified the temporary suspension of proceedings at the Totalling Centre, saying it was an administrative directive linked to violence in other parts of the country, and not violence at the Ndola Central centre.

The Commission has also stated that the suspension did not affect the outcome of the election because voting had already been completed.

ECZ has further stood by the accuracy of the final results, submitting the GEN 20 form and record of proceedings to the High Court as evidence of the votes recorded for each candidate.

The electoral body has put its position on record which is that the Ndola Central election was free and fair, the results accurately reflect the votes cast, and Emmanuel Mulenga was duly elected on August 15, 2026.