Citizens First alleges manipulation of voter-register figures ahead of 2026 general polls

The Citizens First Party has raised concern over the provisional voters’ register recently released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) ahead of the 2026 general elections. Party Member of the Central Committee and Presidential Task Team member, Stanley M’hango, said the party’s analysis indicated unusual increases in new voter registrations in Southern Province, Western Province, North-Western Provinceand Central Province, areas he described as strongholds of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND). In a statement issued in Lusaka, M’hango questioned how Lusaka, which has the country’s largest population, recorded a 19.4 percent increase in voter growth, while Southern and Western provinces registered 30.4 percent and 40.5 percent growth, respectively.

He said data on new voter registrations between 2021 and 2025 showed that Southern Province recorded 261,071 new voters, while Lusaka registered 236,873. “While Luapula Province and Muchinga Province combined have fewer newly registered voters than the UPND strongholds, raising questions about the distribution,” M’hango stated. He cautioned the ECZ against using voter registration numbers as the basis for electoral delimitation.

“The Citizens First therefore questions the ECZ’s justification for these numbers, echoing concerns about the 2024 census and NRC issuance,” M’hango said. M’hango further claimed that the situation appeared to be part of a systematic strategy for vote manipulation. He called on the ECZ to provide clear explanations regarding the figures and urged stakeholders to scrutinise the provisional voters’ register. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.