Zambia’s electoral body urges international observers to be professional, responsible

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has urged all accredited international election observers to undertake their work professionally and responsibly while respecting the roles of election officials, voters, political parties, candidates, polling agents and other stakeholders. ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said the Commission recognises and respects the independence of international election observation missions and equally appreciate that credible election observation should be conducted objectively, impartially and in accordance with the laws of Zambia Zaloumis made the call on Saturday during a media briefing with international election observation missions at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, as the country drew closer to Polling Day on August 13, 2026. The briefing brought together members of the Commission, the Chief Electoral Officer, heads of observer missions, cooperating partners, representatives of international and regional organisations, and members of the media.

Zaloumis said the engagement formed part of its continuing commitment to transparency, openness and stakeholder engagement ahead of the general election. She noted that observers provided an important external perspective on the conduct of elections and contributed to identifying best practices, lessons and areas for continued improvement. “We are committed to facilitating your work, within the framework of the law, and to ensuring that accredited observers are able to undertake their responsibilities independently and professionally,” Zaloumis stated.

She said the briefing was intended to provide observer missions with first-hand information on key electoral processes and preparations, including accreditation and the results management process. The ECZ Chairperson highlighted the importance of observing critical activities such as the arrival, receipt and verification of ballot papers in Lusaka, saying such processes allowed stakeholders to independently witness safeguards that have been put in place. “Observation of such processes is important because it allows stakeholders to independently witness the safeguards that have been put in place and contributes to greater transparency and confidence in the electoral process,” she stated.

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Zaloumis told observers that their role became even more significant as Polling Day approached, with deployment expected from preparations ahead of polling through voting, counting, tabulation and announcement of results. “The Commission is committed to providing accredited observers with appropriate access to electoral processes in accordance with the law. We believe that openness to scrutiny strengthens, rather than diminishes, the electoral process,” she said. Zaloumis also cautioned on the spread of misinformation and disinformation during the election period, noting it could undermine confidence in electoral institutions and threaten peace and public order.

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