Stakeholders demand answers as ECZ defends nationwide count suspension

Stakeholders demand answers as ECZ defends nationwide count suspension The Electoral Commission of Zambia has come under sustained pressure from political parties, civil society and journalists over its decision to suspend vote counting and the announcement of results…

Stakeholders demand answers as ECZ defends nationwide count suspension

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has come under sustained pressure from political parties, civil society and journalists over its decision to suspend vote counting and the announcement of results nationwide following reports of violence and theft of marked ballot papers in some districts.

National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity representative Jonas Zimba told an ECZ stakeholder briefing at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre that the commission had acted beyond its legal authority. He said the ECZ only has power to approve a request for suspension, not to order one unilaterally.

“What ECZ did was illegal because it has no authority to suspend an election but just the authority to approve a request to suspend an election,” Zimba said.

Transparency International Zambia executive director Maurice Nyambe told the same briefing he was taken aback by the manner in which the suspension was carried out, and pressed the commission for a fuller explanation.

“We had a suspension on counting; we wonder what implications this will have, and we hope to have more details on what really transpired,” he said.

ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro defended the decision, saying it was driven purely by security concerns after reports of violence, including the death of a polling staff member in Matero Constituency, and theft of marked ballot papers in some districts.

“What caused the suspension was the security situation; we just wanted to make sure that things went on smoothly,” Kasaro said.

The suspension, which began on 14 August, lasted roughly six hours before counting and announcement of results resumed later the same day. It was lifted amid mounting criticism from civil society groups who questioned both its legal basis and its scope.

A Consortium of Civil Society Organisations, in a statement issued through LCK Freedom Foundation Executive Director Linda Kasonde, welcomed the resumption of counting but said the commission owed the public a clearer explanation for its decision.

“The commission should explain the legal basis for its decision, and why incidents occurring in particular locations were considered sufficient to suspend the process nationally. This is not a technical concern. Respect for the rule of law requires public institutions themselves to demonstrate obedience to the law,” Kasonde said.

Kasonde noted that Section 67(2) of the Electoral Process Act requires counting to commence immediately after the close of polling and continue until completion, while Section 67(3) permits suspension of procedures relating to counting, with the commission’s approval, while requiring the safekeeping of voting materials during such suspension.

The Southern African Development Community Electoral Observation Mission separately raised concern over the suspension in its preliminary statement. Head of Mission Samuel Tembenu said the pause had generated “uncertainty and anxiety” among stakeholders, adding that observers were unable to watch the counting and collation process during the period the suspension was in effect.

The mission said it would examine the development further in its final report, due within 30 days.

TIZ separately recorded 152 incidents of electoral violence across 46 districts in its monitoring of the election, with 16 of those incidents occurring during and after polling day. Nyambe said the figures highlighted the scale of tension that characterised this year’s polls, and urged the ECZ to adopt a more targeted approach to addressing violence rather than suspending counting nationwide.

“The nationwide suspension of results announcements risks fuelling suspicion and anxiety among voters, political parties and other stakeholders,” Nyambe said.

Journalists at the ECZ briefing raised further questions the commission has yet to fully answer. Joan Musabila of Prime TV asked whether the ECZ would account for ballot papers stolen in Mandevu, while Innocent Phiri of KBN TV questioned the unprecedented deployment of soldiers to manage the election, saying it had left many Zambians in fear.

The Human Rights Commission, through chairperson Dr Pamela Sambo, acknowledged that the ECZ is empowered under the Electoral Process Act to suspend counting to protect officials, voters and materials, but cautioned that such powers must be exercised with care.

“The Electoral Commission of Zambia must exercise all powers under the Electoral Process Act proportionately, without unjustifiably limiting any constitutional rights and freedoms, particularly the right to freedom of information,” Dr Sambo said.

She urged the commission to provide regular public updates on the progress of results in line with the Access to Information Act, warning that prolonged information gaps would fuel speculation and erode public confidence in the process.

The African Union and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Election Observer Mission also weighed in, with former Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi warning that the suspension risked undermining the credibility of the electoral process, while the mission’s leadership initiated shuttle diplomacy between the ruling and opposition parties to de-escalate tensions.

The ECZ has maintained it expects to complete the announcement of final results within the constitutional 72-hour window, with Kasaro assuring stakeholders that the commission remains on track to meet that deadline despite the delay.