Zambia poll sees outbreak of violence

Ziko Lathu Consortium raises fresh concerns over delays, violence, missing materials and interference as counting begins

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24  -- 14-08-2026 -- The Ziko Lathu Consortium has raised fresh concerns over disruptions, violence, inadequate electoral materials and interference reported at some polling stations as Zambia moved from voting to the counting and results-management phase of the 2026 General Elections.

Speaking during the consortium’s final media briefing of the day, ActionAid Zambia Country Director Fides Tembatemba said the concerns were based on reports received and analysed through the consortium’s election-monitoring mechanisms throughout Thursday.

The Ziko Lathu Consortium comprises ActionAid Zambia, Panos Institute Southern Africa (PANOS), the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC), Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia and Young Women in Action.

Tembatemba said that by 21:00 hours, the consortium had processed more than 100 incident reports and over 1,200 checklist submissions from its monitors.

She said the reports provided a picture of how polling ended, how counting began and whether concerns raised earlier in the day had been addressed.

Tembatemba said most monitored polling stations closed at 18:00 hours, with voters who were already in queues allowed to cast their ballots before counting started.

However, she said some polling stations remained open because of late opening, raising concern about the need to conclude voting and move into counting without further delays.

“Those polling stations which remain open due to various reasons, including late opening, continue to be closely monitored,” Tembatemba said.

She said the consortium had also recorded operational and security disruptions during voting and counting.

At Chipata Day Secondary School in Eastern Province, a power outage was reported after counting had started, while at Muchini Primary Polling Station, a lack of bulbs forced people to use their phones for lighting.

In Chambishi Constituency, voting at Tata Waluse Polling Station was suspended following violence linked to the delayed opening of the polling station.

Tembatemba said such incidents were worrying because similar problems had been reported during the 2021 General Elections.

She said the recurrence suggested that some lessons from previous elections may not have been fully incorporated into the planning and preparedness for this year’s poll.

The consortium also reported incidents of alleged electoral interference, intimidation and violence in several areas.

In Kanyama, suspected political actors allegedly caused disturbances and demanded voters’ cards and National Registration Cards from people in queues, contributing to confusion and delays in the commencement of counting.

Concerns were also raised over the reported absence of election officials and accountability documentation at the affected location.

In Kalomo, a former District Commissioner was allegedly involved in vote buying, after which unrest was reported and a shooting left two people reportedly injured.

A citizen was also reportedly seriously injured in Nega Nega, while an individual was allegedly assaulted by police in Lundazi.

Tembatemba said such incidents could undermine voters’ ability to participate freely and weaken public confidence in the electoral process.

The consortium also reported low voter participation at some polling stations. At Limulunga Primary School in Western Province, for example, no voter had turned up by 13:40 hours, according to the monitoring report.

Concerns were further raised over shortages of materials needed during counting and results management.

At Kabulonga Boys Secondary School, monitors reported concerns over the availability of trays, while envelopes needed for sealing ballot papers were reportedly unavailable at polling stations at the University of Zambia and in Kabulonga.

Tembatemba said the consortium was particularly concerned about developments at the University of Zambia after polling stations had closed.

She called for the impasse to be resolved quickly, saying the continued problems pointed to shortcomings in preparations by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

The consortium also reported that its Ziko Lathu online platform was taken down for much of the afternoon.

Tembatemba said that although Zambia had not experienced widespread internet interference similar to that reported in 2021, the disruption of the consortium’s platform was still concerning.

“We reiterate our call for an enabling environment for all stakeholders in the digital spaces during this critical time,” she said.

As the country moves into counting, tabulation and the announcement of results, the consortium has called on the ECZ to ensure that counting and results tabulation are transparent, consistent and conducted according to established procedures.

It also urged the electoral body to address reported disruptions quickly and ensure that every lawfully cast vote is accurately accounted for.

Tembatemba called on the Zambia Police Service and other security agencies to maintain order professionally and impartially, protect voters and election officials, and investigate reported cases of violence, intimidation and electoral interference.

Political parties, candidates and their supporters were urged to remain calm, avoid violence and intimidation, refrain from spreading misinformation and reject premature declarations of results.

Citizens were also urged to remain peaceful and vigilant, avoid circulating unverified information and respect the counting and results-management process.

The consortium said particular attention should be given to incidents that may have disrupted voting or prevented citizens from exercising their democratic rights.

Tembatemba said transparency, accountability and timely communication would be critical to maintaining public confidence as Zambia enters the results phase of the 2026 General Elections.

“Every lawfully cast vote” must be accounted for, she said, urging all stakeholders to allow the electoral process to reach its conclusion peacefully.