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POLLING DELAYS, VIOLENCE MAR VOTING

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Kayanda flags late openings, material shortages, voter secrecy concerns and harassment of journalists as Zambians cast ballots By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24  - 13-08-2026 -- The 2026 General Elections have been hit by delays, confusion and isolated cases of violence, with the Ziko Lathu Consortium expressing concern over what it says are problems affecting voters at some polling stations. Speaking during the consortium’s second media briefing, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia representative Austin Kayanda said more than 100 incident reports and over 1,200 checklist submissions had been received and analysed by 16:00 hours. Kayanda said the reports painted a worrying picture in some polling stations, with voters facing late openings, changes of polling venues, shortages of materials, problems with ballot secrecy and harassment of journalists. He said Ndoloka Polling Station in Kasama did not open until 12:15 hours, leaving voters waiting for hours before...
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EARLY POLL HITCHES EMERGE

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Ziko Lathu says voting remains largely peaceful despite delayed openings, ballot material shortages and voter register challenges By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24  -- 13-08-2026) -- Early administrative and operational challenges have emerged in Zambia’s 2026 General Elections, with some polling stations opening late, election materials arriving after the scheduled start of voting and some voters facing difficulties linked to the voters’ register. However, the Ziko Lathu Consortium says the overall voting environment remains largely peaceful across the country, with no violence against women, youth or persons with disabilities reported at the time of its first preliminary assessment. The preliminary findings read by Annie Mbewe Anamela, Executive Director of the Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) , on behalf of the Ziko Lathu Consortium during a press briefing at the Global Platform told journalists at a media briefing that the Consortium, compri...
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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN THREATENS DEMOCRACY

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NGOCC condemns attacks on Chongwe East aspiring candidate Anita Kamanga and calls for urgent police action to protect women in politics By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24  —   12-08-2026 – Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has condemned what it described as a disturbing pattern of physical, emotional and online attacks targeting Anita Kamanga, an independent aspiring candidate for Chongwe East Constituency. Board Chairperson Beauty Katebe told Zambia24 that NGOCC had received with grave concern a report of Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWE) involving Kamanga, who has reportedly faced harassment since the beginning of her campaign. “Ms. Kamanga and her supporters have been attacked on several occasions while preparing for campaign meetings,” Katebe said. She said that in one incident, the alleged perpetrators reportedly made a false report to Kanakantapa Police Station, claiming to have been victims of violence. According to Katebe, the r...
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UNZALARU DEMANDS FULL BENEFITS

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Union wants Government to release more funds and follow the High Court order in paying UNZA workers By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24  —   12-08-2026 -- The University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU) has demanded the release of additional funds to clear outstanding terminal benefits owed to UNZA workers, saying members have waited for years to receive their money. UNZALARU President Prof. Andrew Phiri and General Secretary Dominic Liche said Government had committed to clearing all terminal benefits owed to UNZA staff up to 2025 by July 31, 2026. Prof. Phiri and Mr Liche said Government released K358 million as the first disbursement towards benefits that have remained outstanding since 2016, and payments have since started. However, the union leaders said concerns had emerged over how the payments are being made. According to Prof. Phiri and Mr Liche, the payment instructions appear to conflict with a recent High Court judgment directing the Univ...
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DON’T LET POLITICS TEAR ZAMBIA APART

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NGOCC urges candidates and supporters to respect the people’s verdict, reject inflammatory politics and safeguard peace ahead of August 13 polls By Francis Maingaila Lusaka ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 11-08-2026  — The Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to prioritise Zambia’s peace and unity above partisan interests as the country approaches the August 13, 2026 General Elections. NGOCC Board Chairperson Beauty Katebe says political competition must not be allowed to divide the nation, noting that every election produces both winners and losers. Ms. Katebe has urged all candidates to prepare themselves to accept the verdict of the people, emphasising that elections are determined by voters and not by the interests of individual candidates or political parties. She says candidates who are dissatisfied with the outcome should pursue lawful channels and established dispute-resolution mechanisms to c...
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IBA WARNS BROADCASTERS

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The Authority says no campaign interviews, speculation on polling day and urges media houses to put accuracy and public interest ahead of the race for election results. By Francis Maingaila Lusaka ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 11-08-2026 -- The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has sounded a firm warning to broadcasters ahead of Thursday’s elections, telling them not to turn polling day into a platform for campaign interviews, election predictions or unverified results. With millions of Zambians expected to cast their ballots on Thursday, the Authority says broadcasters have a big responsibility on their shoulders — to give the public information they can trust at a time when emotions are likely to run high. IBA Independent Broadcasting Director Webster Malido said the 2026 Election Coverage Guidelines, issued in May, were meant to help broadcasters report the elections fairly, accurately and responsibly. He said the guidelines were not simply about regulating broadcasters, but e...
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CSOs DEMAND FAIR PLAY

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Coalition raises alarm over political inequality, election violence and late changes to voting rules ahead of Thursday’s general election By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24, 10 -08-2026 -- — Civil society and faith-based organisations have raised the alarm over what they describe as an uneven political playing field, growing election-related violence and confusion caused by changes to voting rules ahead of Thursday’s general election. The organisations say these concerns cannot simply be brushed aside, arguing that the credibility of the August 13 election will depend on whether every Zambian is able to walk into a polling station and freely cast a vote without fear, intimidation or undue influence. They say it is not enough for voting to take place peacefully on the day if the process leading to the ballot has already placed some political players at a disadvantage. The concerns were raised during a joint briefing involving 11 organisations — Caritas Zambia, Chapter One ...
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