CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS RAISE ALARM OVER ZAMBIA’S ELECTORAL ENVIRONMENT
CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS RAISE ALARM OVER ZAMBIA’S ELECTORAL ENVIRONMENT
LUSAKA — A coalition of 10 Zambian civil society organisations has raised serious concerns over the conduct of the 2026 general election, calling for greater transparency from the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), accountability over the reported detention of opposition figures and strict adherence to constitutional and civilian processes.
In a joint statement issued in Lusaka on August 15, the organisations said they were “alarmed” by the electoral environment in which the August election was being conducted.
The statement comes as the country awaits the completion of the presidential vote tally following the August 13 election, amid political tensions surrounding the counting process and reports involving opposition figures
The organisations — including ActionAid Zambia, Alliance for Community Action, Caritas Zambia, Chapter One Foundation, Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, LCK Freedom Foundation, NGOCC, Transparency International Zambia, Zambia Council for Social Development and Panos Institute Southern Africa — have particularly questioned the ECZ’s decision to suspend the nationwide tallying and announcement of results on August 14.