AU-COMESA election observation mission arrives for Zambia’s Thursday polls

The African Union (AU) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have deployed a joint Election Observation Mission for Zambia’s General Elections scheduled for August 13, 2026. The AU-COMESA EOM arrived in Lusaka on Monday, August 10, 2026 at the invitation of the Zambian Government and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). According to a statement issued in Lusaka, the Mission would observe the electoral process across the country, including the pre-election environment, Election Day proceedings, and the immediate post-election period.

It comprises 93 Short-Term Observers drawn from ambassadors accredited to the AU, Election Management Bodies, civil society, youth organisations, and experts in elections, human rights, gender and media. The Mission is led by Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe, former Ethiopian Prime Minister. “He is deputised by Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd, a member of the COMESA Committee of Elders from the Republic of Seychelles,” reads the statement.

Observers were drawn from 29 countries across the continent including Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, and Liberia. Others include Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saharawi Republic, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The observers would be deployed to all 10 provinces of Zambia to assess the conduct of the elections.

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“The AU-COMESA EOM will conduct its assessment based on the electoral legal framework of Zambia, the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, among other relevant regional and international instruments,” the Mission stated. During its stay, the Mission would interact with electoral stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission of Zambia, state institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders, the media, representatives of the international community based in Zambia and other election observation missions. “The Mission will release a Preliminary Statement on its overall findings and assessment of the electoral process at a Press Conference in Lusaka, on 15 August 2026,” it said.

A final and comprehensive report would be issued after the official announcement of the final election results. It stated that the deployment of the joint mission signaled continued regional commitment to supporting democratic processes and credible elections in Zambia.

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