Zambia : Election Conduct, Ballot Rules And Campaign Tensions Dominate Final Days Before Zambia Votes

With Zambia now three days away from the August 13 general election, attention has shifted sharply from campaign promises to the conduct, security and credibility of the vote itself. Political parties are entering the final stretch with disputes over ballot-marking rules, the timing of results, arrests of opposition campaign personnel and the handling of election materials increasingly shaping the national conversation.

President Hakainde Hichilema, campaigning in Luapula Province, accused National Restoration and Progressive Union Party president Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu of spreading false claims that his administration intends to sell Zambia’s land and rivers. He insisted that no part of the country had been sold since he took office and instead pledged increased investment, economic opportunities and an expansion of mining activity in Luapula Province.

Mundubile, however, used a weekend press briefing to turn attention to the administration of Thursday’s election. He raised three demands, including the withdrawal of Electoral Commission of Zambia guidance allowing voters to use a tick, in addition to a cross, to indicate their preferred candidate on the ballot paper.

The opposition leader also demanded that election results be announced within 24 hours of the close of polling rather than beginning from August 17, as currently scheduled. He further called on police to end what he described as a pattern of arrests and abductions targeting people associated with his campaign, citing incidents in Mongu, Western Province and on the Copperbelt.

The ballot-marking dispute has emerged as one of the most contested procedural issues in the closing days of the campaign. UPND’s Trevor Mwiinde and DPP’s Antonio Mwanza have defended the ECZ position that a ballot can remain valid where a voter’s intention is clearly expressed, even if the mark used is not a conventional cross.

Historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa and PeP’s Chanda Katotobwe, however, maintain that Regulation 33(d) requires voters to use an X. They have warned that introducing or emphasising alternative ballot markings so close to polling day could create confusion among voters and disputes over the interpretation of ballots during counting.

The disagreement over election procedures has already spilled into confrontation on the ground. Police fired tear gas in Kabwe on Friday night to disperse UPND and Tonse-PF Pamodzi Alliance cadres who clashed following concerns over a missing security seal on a truck transporting election materials.

Electoral officer Liftery Ndaba subsequently restricted access to the Civic Centre to accredited political party representatives as election materials continued to be verified ahead of Thursday’s polls. The move is intended to allow the verification process to proceed in a controlled environment as political parties closely monitor the handling of ballot papers and other sensitive materials.

Arrests and detentions involving opposition campaign personnel have added another layer of tension. Former Nkana MP Binwell Mpundu condemned the continued detention without charge of 17 people linked to Mundubile’s campaign, including musicians and journalists arrested in Mongu.

Mpundu also moved to distance himself from remarks circulating online claiming that he was “ready to die and ready to kill” over the election. He said the material was AI-generated and maintained that he had never posted or made the statement attributed to him.

Government officials, meanwhile, have sought to project calm as campaigning approaches its conclusion. Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha urged Zambians to exercise their right to vote peacefully and reject political violence, hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric, including messages coming from political and religious figures.

The Ministry of Defence has also said the military stands ready to support efforts to maintain peace if called upon, while State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka clarified that President Hichilema has no authority to direct police officers to arrest individuals. He also said many of the President’s provincial engagements are official government visits and should not automatically be treated as political campaign activities.

Police have maintained that NRPUP and other political parties will receive equal protection to conduct their campaigns, including in Southern Province. Catholic bishops in Livingstone and Chipata have separately appealed for peace and national unity, urging voters to assess candidates on their records and policies rather than allowing tribal divisions or political violence to determine their choices.

Economic issues have remained part of the final campaign conversation. Treasury Secretary Felix Nkulukusa confirmed that government released K21.1 billion in July, including K2.7 billion to the Food Reserve Agency and K660 million to the Farmer Input Support Programme. Government officials have presented the releases as part of efforts to maintain prudent fiscal management and support critical national programmes.

That assessment has been challenged by opposition voices, with one column disputing the extent of government’s claimed economic progress and calling for greater transparency in the management of public debt, procurement and the distribution of benefits from the mining sector.

Copper has also returned to the centre of the economic discussion, with CIPS calling for Zambia to accelerate local value addition as copper prices trade near US$14,000 per tonne. The argument is that stronger domestic processing and industrialisation would allow the country to capture more value from its mineral resources rather than relying predominantly on exports of raw or minimally processed commodities.

A separate political-risk assessment has raised concerns about opaque political financing networks and the possibility of foreign interests gaining influence through trusted local actors, particularly in strategic sectors such as mining and energy. The assessment identifies hidden financing relationships, rather than direct interference with individual voters, as a potential vulnerability surrounding the electoral process.

Away from the campaign, the killing of Chaminuka Resort chief executive Stelios Sardinis has drawn national attention. Sardinis was found dead following an apparent robbery in Chisamba District over the weekend, with police detaining a security guard as investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death continue.

The competing political messages are now entering their final hours. Beyond the rallies and last-minute campaign promises, attention is increasingly turning towards polling stations, the security of election materials, interpretation of ballot rules and the speed and transparency with which results will be counted and announced.

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