ECZ urges public to rely on official election results

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on urged the public to rely on official information from the commission and exercise patience as results processes are completed ahead of Wednesday’s general election. ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters not to use unofficial or unverified information in ways that could

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THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on urged the public to rely on official information from the commission and exercise patience as results processes are completed ahead of Wednesday’s general election.

ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters not to use unofficial or unverified information in ways that could create tension, confusion or mistrust. Speaking during the launch of the National Election Results Centre, Zaloumis said the commission recognizes the growing influence of artificial intelligence and social media in elections. “During the results period, figures, photographs, documents and claims may circulate rapidly across digital platforms,” Zaloumis said. “Some may be genuine, while others may be incomplete, taken out of context or entirely false. We therefore urge citizens to exercise caution.” Zaloumis said the launch of the centre represents the commission’s commitment to ensuring that the process through which presidential election results are announced is accessible to stakeholders and conducted with the seriousness it deserves. “This Centre will bring together people with different responsibilities and, in some cases, competing interests,” she said. “Our collective responsibility is to ensure that this Centre remains a place of professionalism, order, transparency and mutual respect.” Zaloumis said the centre will serve as the central hub for the announcement of presidential election results and bring together key electoral stakeholders as the results process unfolds. Its purpose, she said, is to facilitate an orderly, transparent and credible results process and provide a recognized platform from which the nation will receive official information. Zaloumis said the commission’s responsibility is to ensure that announced results reflect the votes cast by Zambians and that the process is conducted in accordance with the law. “For this reason, the commission attaches great importance to accuracy, transparency and accountability throughout the results process,” she said. “The speed with which results are announced is naturally of great public interest. We understand that political parties, candidates, the media and citizens will be eager to know the outcome of the election. However, while timeliness is important, accuracy must never be compromised for speed.” Advertisement Advertise here Reach readers inside premium article pages.

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