Fresh Concerns Over Voter Registration
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka, Zambia — 16 November 2025
The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) has raised fresh concerns over “serious transparency failures, persistent deployment inconsistencies, and continued equipment vulnerabilities” in the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) Phase 5 and 6 mobile voter registration exercise.
CCMG Programmes Manager Peter Mwanangombe said the ECZ’s “failure to publish a full national deployment plan, repeated closure of registration centres, and the withholding of disaggregated daily statistics pose significant risks to public confidence in the ongoing registration drive.”
Mwanangombe said the organisation was concerned that 11 percent of registration centres remained closed during the two phases, the same rate recorded in Phases 3 and 4, indicating unresolved deployment mismatches.
“We are seeing the very same weaknesses repeating themselves, phase after phase. This shows that the operational gaps have not been addressed,” he said.
He added that 5 percent of centres opened late while 1 percent opened but later closed due to power failures, a pattern he described as “a clear sign of unaddressed logistical vulnerabilities.”
Mwanangombe stressed that the ECZ’s failure to release a national deployment plan for the voter registration extension ending 26 November was among CCMG’s most pressing concerns.
“Citizens cannot plan, civil society cannot mobilise, and observers cannot deploy effectively when the Commission withholds basic operational information,” he said.
He added that preliminary analysis of incomplete deployment plans “reveals inconsistencies across districts that do not align with ECZ’s own public directives.”
On equipment and materials, Mwanangombe reported that while core materials were consistently available, 50 percent of centres lacked backup kits, only a marginal improvement from earlier phases.
“This is a systemic vulnerability. One malfunctioning kit can cripple a whole day of registration in remote areas,” he said.
Kit malfunctions were recorded at 5 percent of centres, the same as in prior phases.
Mwanangombe criticised continuing gaps in data transparency, noting that 7 percent of centres did not provide daily registration statistics.
“The refusal to release disaggregated daily statistics remains one of the biggest transparency barriers in this entire exercise,” he said. “Transparency is not optional—it's essential for accountability.”
Despite the challenges, the CCMG commended the ECZ officers’ commitment to inclusion, with 95 percent of centres prioritising persons with disabilities, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
However, Mwanangombe warned that 65 percent of centres remained inaccessible, requiring citizens to climb steps or stairs.
“These physical barriers should not exist twelve months before a general election. Accessibility must be treated as a priority, not an afterthought,” he said.
No questionable registrations were reported in Phases 5 and 6, which Mwanangombe welcomed as “a positive improvement demonstrating better adherence to registration rules.”
Security personnel were present at 99 percent of centres, but political party agents remained largely absent, with UPND and PF each represented at only 3 percent of centres and other parties at 2 percent. Civil society observer presence also remained low at 5 percent.
The CCMG expressed deep concern over a sharp decline in ECZ-led voter education, which dropped to 70 percent from the 96 percent recorded in earlier phases. “Voter education is the backbone of credible participation,” Mwanangombe said.
“A drop of this magnitude is a serious setback.” Local media provided voter education in 71 percent of cases, while civil society efforts remained very limited at 4 percent.
He said CCMG observers continued to report strong procedural adherence by ECZ officers, with 100 percent verifying eligibility documents, issuing voter cards correctly, and securing materials at the end of the day.
Mwanangombe urged the ECZ to immediately publish the full list of registration centres for the extension period.
“We call on the Commission to release a comprehensive national deployment plan without delay, and to adopt a more transparent, data-driven approach to all operational planning,” he said.
He added that releasing disaggregated registration statistics daily, improving accessibility, and strengthening voter education would be vital to restoring public confidence.
“With the extension already underway, timely and comprehensive communication is not just necessary—it is critical for credibility,” he said.
Mwanangombe reaffirmed CCMG’s commitment to monitoring the process.
“We remain dedicated to providing evidence-based recommendations to support a credible, transparent and inclusive voter registration exercise as the country prepares for the 2026 general elections,” he said.
CHIEF PUTA CONDEMNS VIOLENCE IN CHINGOLA, PRAISES PRESIDENT HICHILEMA'S LEADERSHIP
Reported by: The Agency
Date: 15th November, 2025.
Machiya, Mpongwe District, Zambia.
Senior Chief Puta of the Bwile-speaking people of Luapula Province has strongly condemned the recent act of hooliganism in Chingola, describing the stoning of the President as unacceptable and un-Zambian. Speaking at the Nsengele Kununka Traditional Ceremony in Mpongwe, he emphasized that no traditional leader can support such reckless behavior.
Chief Puta reminded citizens that Zambia is a peaceful nation and urged the public to safeguard that peace by respecting the Presidency and the national mandate it carries.
He further thanked President Hakainde Hichilema for ensuring the Chingola incident was handled without bloodshed, contrasting it with other governments.
Representing 18 traditional leaders, Chief Puta also commended the New Dawn Government’s efforts in national infrastructure development, highlighting the upgrade of the Kashikishi–Chienge Road into bituminous standard and President Hichilema’s role in promoting unity and cooperation among chiefs across Zambia
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